Lancashire high street retailers urged to 'take advantage' of new funded support programme

A funded six-month business support programme aimed at helping Lancashire's high street retailers attract new customers, evolve and futureproof their business has been launched.

- By Joel Durkin Contributor

The Retail Renaissance Programme is being fully funded by Boost; Lancashire Business Growth Hub, which is run by Lancashire County Council, and will be delivered by retail industry experts from specialist consultancy, Customer Love, and the North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.

The programme is open to independent retailers with a physical store presence in Lancashire. It will feature ten in-person workshops covering topics such as customer experience, optimising online sales, digital marketing and diversification. Attendance via video is also available.

Anne Williamson, founder of Customer Love, has been advising retail businesses on customer experience for over ten years and is the author of the customer experience book; Are you a one-night stand business?

Anne said: “The high street isn’t dying, it’s evolving. Research shows that 88 per cent of people now spend more time shopping online since the pandemic. Despite this statistic, customers want the best of both worlds. They want the convenience of online shopping combined with a high-quality, in-person experience. If independent retailers want to thrive, they must adapt and innovate.