Much coverage of the demise of the traditional high street and local markets as supermarkets and retail giants grow in popularity. Conversely there has also been a great deal of positive coverage given to campaigns to encourage trade back into local communities and the benefits of a return to old shopping habits.
Pudsey is a proud historic market town and values its independent high street and local market above most else. So when faced with stories of changing shopping habits, a biting recession and tales of a decline in footfall threatening their community as they know it, the business community in Pudsey have gathered together to show their strength.
A new ‘shop local’ loyalty scheme has been introduced to encourage shoppers back to the high street and the market, held three times a week in the market square. Shoppers can collect stamps with their shopping and redeem them with participating retailers and traders to ensure that not only do they get great deals on fresh produce but shoppers also help to preserve one of the oldest shopping traditions around.
Steve Lightfoot, chairman of the recently formed Pudsey Business Forum, said 2009 had been a "tough year" for retailers in Pudsey, and especially small, independent shops and market traders , and the new initiatives were very welcome.
"We needed to do something to counteract the negatives and working together seemed to be the right way to go about it," Mr Lightfoot said.
"So businesses got together to form the small business forum and we decided, with help from the Pudsey Town Centre Manager, to launch three projects including a reward card scheme where shoppers can win £50 worth of local shopping vouchers."
Nigel Conder, Town Centre Manager for Armley and Pudsey, who is spearheading the project, said: "There are some great shops in Pudsey and Armley, some old, established businesses and some very new ones. The reward scheme will be a great tool for these businesses to demonstrate what both these towns have to offer."
Speaking of Pudsey's efforts, he said: "Pudsey has a wealth of skills and services and the forum members are working hard to raise the profile of their town. The reward card scheme is a one of a kind which will encourage more people to use our excellent local retailers and in doing so, boost the local economy."
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