Stockport’s Will Mellor, Coronation Street bad boy, star of Hollyoaks and the iconic Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, is fronting a One Stockport campaign to get Stockport businesses bouncing again as they recover from the impact of Covid.
The coronavirus has impacted every one of us in some way and, across Stockport, many businesses, especially smaller independent businesses, have been hit hard.
The ‘It’s Time to Get’ film, co-starring local retailers, is designed to promote and showcase local businesses and to encourage people to shop, meet and think local.
Created by One Stockport, the video was screened to an invited audience at the independently owned Savoy cinema in Heaton Moor and features new local ‘celebrities’ getting on board with the ‘It’s time to get’ campaign – from Stockport Shopping to the Heatons Happening; Edgeley Energised and Hazel Grove Growing; Cheadle Chomping and Woodley Winning. The campaign reaches out to all areas of the borough, encouraging everyone to think local and support local businesses. And for businesses to think local when considering their suppliers.
Will didn’t hesitate to offer his support for businesses in his hometown and attended the film premiere at The Savoy cinema:
“Like towns and cities across the UK, the pandemic has been tough for all of us. But it’s hit the smaller independent businesses especially hard. Which is why we need to be thinking ‘local’ in everything we do. Whether we’re shopping, having a night out or meeting friends, let’s stay local and buy local and let’s get the borough’s businesses bouncing again!”
Steve Oliver, Chair of Stockport Economic Alliance, added:
“By supporting local businesses, we can help to rebuild our local economy; by building on the resilience and the support we will all become better connected; and by building confidence and staying strong we can all work together to deliver a successful recovery.
We all have a part to play because together we are stronger, together we are One Stockport.”
Cllr David Meller, Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration at Stockport Council, said:
“This campaign highlights some of our fantastic independent businesses across the borough who really deserve our support after a tough 18 months.
“By shopping local you are not only boosting the local economy, you are also having a positive impact on the environment. If more people chose to shop local and walked or cycled to their destination, it would help considerably in reducing air pollution and traffic. So not only are you supporting local businesses, you are reducing your carbon footprint too. Let’s all get behind our wonderful businesses right here on our doorstep in Stockport and show our support!”
The ‘It’s Time To Get’ video, can be viewed and shared from YouTube: https://youtu.be/DXRbp_hQvzE and will be supported by posters and a social media campaign.
Local businesses can get involved too! You can download the toolkit from the campaign webpage that you can use to encourage everyone in Stockport to shop locally!