AT THE HEART OF ELY Independent retailers are the lifeblood of UK high streets. They offer specialist products and services with unique knowledge and passion for their community. Independents’ Day is the national campaign to celebrate and promote the UK’s independent retailers on 4th July. It is a not-for-profit campaign that exists to support and promote independent retail businesses across the UK all year round, but with an annual focus on July 4th: ‘Independents’ Day’ itself. Our Ely Independent retailers offer choice, diversity of product and service, tradition as well as innovation, and a more personal service to customers. They are also job creators and contributors to our local and national economies. With retail spending under pressure, never have they needed our support more! So, as a shopper, Independents’ Day UK is your chance to show some love for our hardworking Ely retailers, the shops you value most both in your local communities and online: the ones you wouldn’t want to live without. Make July the month you revisit Ely City Centre and encourage our shopkeepers by exploring all that they have to offer. Our local shops are run by dedicated local people who are the heart and soul of Ely city Centre. Turn the page to see our featured shops. Here is an update from The Visit Ely team (Tourism, Town Centre and Events) which is ably lead by Tracey Harding based in Oliver Cromwell House.
Celebrating our Independents!
VISIT ELY will once again be joining the national celebrations by highlighting some of the many independent shops that make up Ely’s great shopping experience. Follow us on Facebook during July where we will be featuring the wide variety and range of goods available on Ely’s High Street.
Welcome to City Centre Ranger!
We are so excited to introduce our new City Centre Ranger, Kerry. Whilst many towns and cities have rangers, this is the first time Visit Ely has held such a position within their team. Kerry will be a physical, uniformed presence within the city centre and will be key to ensuring that the centre looks and operates efficiently. She will be our ears and eyes and provide a much needed link between the various bodies that look after our city centre.
Borrow Bags!
Following our launch last October, our bid to become the first plastic bag free city continues to gather momentum. Ely’s Borrow Bag scheme, part of the national Morsbags initiative was 32 | Elyi Magazine | www.elyimagazine.com
brought to Visit Ely by the fabulous team at Ely’s specialist sewing shop, Sew Much to Do. In just over 6 months, we have nearly reached our second target of making and distributing 1,000 bags. The sign up of nearly 25 businesses and the involvement by the community has been overwhelming. However, we still need more people and organisations to come forward to help make borrow bags. So, if you would like to be involved and especially if you know your way around a sewing machine, then please contact us or check out the information on our website.
