New campaign aims to support local businesses this Christmas in the Chichester District

Chichester District Council, its partners, the Observer Series and V2 Radio, are joining forces to support local businesses by launching another special Christmas campaign for 2021 on 11 November.

The Countdown to Christmas campaign, which is being led by Chichester District Council, aims to encourage people to shop local, spend local and support local.

The campaign is being delivered using the European Regional Development Fund’s Welcome Back Fund, along with other Government funding aimed at supporting businesses through the pandemic.

“Our local businesses and attractions have had an incredibly challenging couple of years and they really need everybody’s support,” says Councillor Tony Dignum, Cabinet Member for Growth, Place and Regeneration at Chichester District Council. “By using local businesses and visiting local attractions, you can make a huge difference, and so our campaign is all about urging people to ‘support local’ this Christmas.

Residents can show their love for Chichester, East Wittering, Midhurst, Petworth, and Selsey by downloading the artwork for the gift tags and Christmas paper from the Council's website to print at home and use on their Christmas gifts. If they have a Facebook or Twitter account, they can also apply a special frame to their profile picture to show their support for their local businesses.

The Countdown to Christmas campaign aims to encourage people to support local, as well as make people aware of the experiences, activities and events across the district. It is supported by: The Observer Series, V2 Radio, Chichester Business Improvement District (Chichester BID), The Great Sussex Way, Chichester City Council, Chichester Chamber of Commerce, Petworth Business Association, Petworth Town Council, Midhurst Town Council, Midhurst Town Team CIC, East Wittering and Bracklesham Parish Council, East Wittering and Bracklesham Local Business Alliance, Selsey Town Council, Selsey Business Network, the University of Chichester, Chichester College and Love Where You Live.

If you’re a local business, you can also request a marketing pack, with social media assets and other tools to promote your business as part of the campaign, by visiting: www.chichester.gov.uk/christmasbusinesspack.

Councillor Dignum went on to say “I’m pleased that we are also introducing a package of parking incentives in council-owned car parks to further support local businesses this Christmas. These offers include: selecting two hours and getting a third free in most council-owned car parks across the district in December, when using the MiPermit app; free parking every weekend in December in the Avenue de Chartres car park in Chichester; and, free parking after 4pm in the Avenue de Chartres car park for the Chichester Christmas Light Switch On event on Saturday 27 November, and for the Chichester late night shopping on 2, 9, 16 and 23 December. The light displays and Christmas activities in Chichester are organised by Chichester Business Improvement District (BID) and more information can be found at: https://chichesterbid.co.uk/