INITIATIVE LAUNCHED TO ENCOURAGE "SHOP KILKENNY - KEEP IT LOCAL - SHOP SAFELY"

A new initiative has been launched by Kilkenny County Council to highlight the importance of small businesses right across the county, and encourage people to support them in the run-up to Christmas.

Initiative launched to encourage ‘Shop Kilkenny - Keep it Local - Shop Safely’


The campaign ‘Shop Kilkenny – Keep it Local – Shop Safely’ is designed to raise awareness of the many small businesses across our county towns and villages, and remind shoppers that where we direct our spending shapes the future of where we live.
“By shopping locally, we support our towns and villages and keep local shopkeepers and service providers in business,” says Fiona Deegan, Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny.

“Their success encourages others to take the leap and start their own business, which ultimately leads to more jobs and money circulating in the local community.”
The messaging around local shops, businesses and service providers creating local employment and supporting local clubs, charities and events will be reiterated and the fact that they can’t support our local communities without our patronage with the key request ‘please support the businesses on your doorstep now when they need you most’.
The campaign will encompass a number of elements which will support local retailers in key towns throughout the County and the Kilkenny People will be highlighting these in the coming weeks.

The main elements will include a Shop Kilkenny – Keep it Local — Shop Safely Media campaign in conjunction with local media and across all shopkilkenny social media platforms. The key message will be it’s not what you buy, it’s where you buy it that can make a real difference in keeping our towns and villages alive – please support businesses on your doorstep. The campaign will also include the promotion of the Kilkenny Gift Vouchers in conjunction with Kilkenny Chamber which will provide much needed support for Kilkenny businesses.
Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council Andrew McGuinness is encouraging people to get behind the campaign and support local businesses, who have been doing their best to adapt.
“The messaging around local shops, businesses and service providers creating local employment and supporting local clubs, charities and events has never been more important and the shopkilkenny campaign will reiterate the fact that they can’t support our local communities without our patronage,” he said.
“The shopkilkennyonline message is also key, encouraging people purchasing online to do so with the many Kilkenny businesses now operating ecommerce platforms having adopted the Trading Online Vouchers through the Local Enterprise Office.”
#Shopkilkenny is an initiative of Kilkenny County Council and Kilkenny Chamber supported by the Departments of Rural and Community Development under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme 2020.

This initiative ties in with the new national campaign launched by the Local Enterprise Office network recently “Look for Local” to encourage consumers and businesses to shop local,  following a challenging year for small businesses across the country.