There are some great examples of projects that we have come across during our visits to towns up and down the country. Here are just a few to get your juices flowing … Shop Front Improvement Grants, combined with training on window dressing and visual merchandising Customer Service Charter, to improve and recognise customer service levels Planned joint promotions, to encourage joint marketing ideas Customer Loyalty Schemes, as a reward for using local shops Business Improvement District schemes, to raise funds for future improvements Shop Local campaigns, to encourage customers back to local shops Good reasons to shop local Sourcing local suppliers, offering customers exclusive local product ranges Forming local traders associations and partnerships Discount cards Over 60s travel and discount schemes Pub is the post office Council running post office, Reading Borough Council opened sub-post office in civic office Using the internet to promote local shops And some great websites too: www.marpletraders.co.uk www.garstang.net www.haselmere.com www.cholmondeleyfoodhub.com www.selbychamber.co.uk www.derbyshire.gov.uk/community/goldcard www.pubisthehub.org.uk www.highpeak.gov.uk/shoplocal www.virsa.org/index.cfm/villageshop/Directory.Details/shop_id/288 If you would like to discuss any projects for your local shops or if you've got any great ideas of your own, please let us know using the 'CONTACT US' page. We are happy to put website links on this page which are of interest to Project Officers.