Business Gateway Tayside has teamed up with Dundee City Council’s City Centre Management Team to launch a unique package of support for local retailers.
Retail Recharge Month will run throughout March, offering free, bespoke live and online masterclasses hosted by industry experts to bolster Dundee shops and hospitality outlets and encourage their continued recovery.
The latest Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and Sensormatic IQ data showed Scottish footfall decreased by 16.2% in January, compared with two years earlier. However, as a 6.6% improvement on December, the figures reaffirm that now is a key time for retailers to build on momentum as consumer confidence and spending grows.
Fiona McLellan, Contracts Manager at Business Gateway Tayside, said: “The retail sector in Dundee has been significantly impacted by the pandemic, as it has had to adapt to lockdowns and varying levels of restrictions for almost two years.
“It is vital we all pull together to secure the future of our high streets and encourage the growing movement to support local which in turn will benefit our local communities.
“Working in partnership with City Centre Management, we are aiming to help retail businesses with a targeted package of inspiration and support to aid their recovery, whether they have physical shops or cafés, or showcase their goods at markets and exhibitions, alongside their online strategy.”
Retail Recharge Month will launch on March 2 with a special event at The Steeple, Nethergate, where Business Gateway Tayside will be joined by City Centre Manager Gaynor Sullivan, David Groundwater of Find Business Support, and Leigh Brown of the Town & City Gift Card programme, all of whom will discuss the various support they offer retailers.
Industry expert John Cowan, founder of Real Retail Solutions, will then take attendees through his information-packed masterclass, The Ultimate Guide to Branding and Marketing Your Retail Business.
Mark Flynn convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee said: “We are delighted to be working with Business Gateway on Retail Recharge Month as part of the process of focusing on the city’s future.
“Council staff have been working closely with a wide selection of businesses and other partners to get their views on useful content and the most convenient timings for what I hope will be a helpful, informative and, above all, enjoyable programme of events.”
Dundee café FIKA, based on Perth Road, has received extensive support from Business Gateway Tayside throughout the pandemic, saying: “After opening FIKA in October 2020, I realised that I needed help with certain aspects of the business. Business Gateway was extremely approachable and understanding of my needs, and supported me with areas such as accounting, HR and marketing. Retail Recharge will be so helpful as its main focus is on growth. Their consultants are experts in their field, having up-to-date knowledge and understanding of how best to support you in navigating your way through this turbulent time.”
Leigh Brown, Chief Operating Officer at Miconex, the Scottish fintech behind the award-winning Town & City Gift Card programme added: “Even though shops have their doors open now, they continue to deal with the effects of the past two years and retailers need all the support they can get. The new Dundee Gift Card is a free initiative for all businesses in the city. People can use it just like a debit card and typically spend 40% more on top of the card when they redeem it. It’s a way for businesses to find new customers, drive footfall and increase spend.
“We’re pleased to be involved in Retail Month through Business Gateway, helping retail businesses in Dundee to get back on their feet. As a city, Dundee has so much to offer, and retail is a huge part of that overall offering.”
To book a space on any of the masterclasses, please visit the webpage here.
For more information on Business Gateway, visit www.bgateway.com/dundee
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