As businesses prepare for the reopening of the high streets on 12 April, retailers in Torbay are joining a High Street Live Guide which promotes their business and shopping locally.

Businesses that sign up to Local Rewards will get a business listing on the High Street Live Guide and marketing support worth up to £1,200.

Up to 500 businesses can now sign up for free thanks to a campaign being delivered by TDA on our behalf.

Councillor Swithin Long, Torbay Council Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Tourism and Housing, said: “I would strongly encourage all retailers across Torbay to sign up to be part of this. The initiative both supports local businesses and rewards shoppers in our towns. Through Local Rewards every transaction creates another opportunity to boost sales locally. The businesses will also receive training to drive engagement on social media and create sales.”

The objectives of the campaign include increasing the number of businesses in Torbay that have social media accounts, and increasing how active they are on social media.

Sally Cope, Chair of Paignton and District Chamber of Commerce, said: “Local businesses need all the support they can get to help them recover and prosper when the high streets reopen. It is great to see that Torbay Council and TDA are enabling Torbay businesses to get access to this opportunity free of charge. We will share this with as many businesses as possible and strongly encourage participation to give our local businesses a welcome boost.”

There are weekly webinars and drop-in session where business can find out more about Local Rewards. Businesses and shoppers can sign up at www.localrewards.chat.

This project has received Reopening the High Streets Safely funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

For out more about the reopening high streets safely project in Torbay.