A new virtual high street has launched in York - and it is encouraging people to shop local online

York singer Rebecca Fewtrell wants to protect her city’s shops and businesses through the coronavirus crisis with a virtual high street. Laura Reid reports.
Rebecca Fewtrell, the founder of Yorks Virtual High Street, with her son Logan.Rebecca Fewtrell, the founder of Yorks Virtual High Street, with her son Logan.
Rebecca Fewtrell, the founder of Yorks Virtual High Street, with her son Logan.

It was high noon for the UK’s high streets long before self-isolation and social distancing entered the vocabulary of the everyday citizen.

Now that the coronavirus pandemic has led to Government orders to stay at home and prompted the temporary closures of community venues including pubs, libraries, cafes and leisure centres, there is understandable concern about the future health of town and city centres and the livelihoods they support.

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In York, businesswoman Rebecca Fewtrell is heading up an initiative to fight back against the threat to the city’s local economy. The professional singer and founder of the York Proms summer picnic concert is creating a virtual centre and has launched a new website that she hopes will pull local shoppers away from online giants like Amazon to spend their cash in the community instead.

A deserted York city centre as people stay indoors during the coronavirus pandemic.A deserted York city centre as people stay indoors during the coronavirus pandemic.
A deserted York city centre as people stay indoors during the coronavirus pandemic.
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The Yorkshire Post says: High noon for our high streets. Support local shops '“ ...

“When I realised we didn’t have an online version of the city centre where we could easily host shop pages for local retailers I looked into the viability of setting this up,” she says. “It needed to be more than just a listings directory; it needs to be the best possible replication of the beating heart of our city where people can go and actually buy goods, instead of heading straight to sites like Amazon.

“As someone who spent many years as a street performer in York, and around the UK, I learnt a lot about what holds a city centre together and makes it special, makes people want to visit. It’s been a tough time for high street businesses anyway, but this latest crisis is a disaster for local retailers.”

The website aims to connect local shoppers with local retailers, aiming to keep money in the city’s economy and protect jobs. “When we walk into town next year, we want shops to be there,” she says. “We don’t want lots of boarded up buildings.”

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The platform will enable shoppers to buy local goods in one place, with individual retailers selling products through the site. It is hoped it will also include a creative space, supported through its associated Facebook page, for entertainment such as the live streaming of events that can no longer take place and talks on wellness matters like mental health, motivation and nutrition.

More than 1,400 shoppers have already signed up for the site’s regular mailings and around 60 retailers have requested a shop page, though priority is being given to physical retailers and market traders who still have overheads to cover.

Retailers pay to become members, from £1 per week, and are notified and paid when a customer purchases a product from their store. Rebecca says around 50 to 60 retailers are needed to cover the site’s running costs and marketing and she hopes to see a “domino effect” once it’s fully up and running, with more retailers and customers getting on board.

“When time is of the essence, when people are losing customers and money and people are already going to Amazon to buy things, we don’t really want to be trying to reinvent the wheel,” she says of the site. “We just need something that is simple and works.”

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It feels like the scheme is gaining momentum, she says, and she hopes that will continue. “Even when people can go back into town, some will still sit at home at online at 11pm and buy something off Amazon.

“But if they think actually first I’ll check to see if I can buy it locally, that has such a strong effect on the local economy. After this crisis is over, the high street will still need support.”

Visit www.yorkhighstreet.com

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