Loyal customers are being encouraged to ‘spread the love’ this Valentine’s Day by nominating their favourite independent shop or business for the prestigious Cheshire East Love Local Life Awards.

All shoppers need do is nominate the shop of their choice in one or more of four categories by visiting the Love Local Life website www.lovelocallife.co.uk . The categories are: outstanding service; best range of products; best value; best presentation.

Each customer nominating their favourite shop will be entered into a prize draw to win a voucher for £200 to celebrate with on Valentine’s Day.

The winning shops will receive a free business makeover review from expert ‘shop doctor’ Bill Smith who helps small businesses master entrepreneurial skills.

The winning shops will also be given a year’s free subscription to the Love Local Life scheme, which is helping high streets across the Borough beat the economic downturn.

The Love Local Life card, which has so far been launched in seven Cheshire East towns, gives discounts to regular customers and promotes local shopping.

“Love Local Life is going from strength-to-strength and these awards are our way of recognising all the hard work undertaken by the business community to keep our high-streets alive and thriving.

“It’s also a way of encouraging customers to support their local shops and join the Love Local Life scheme which offers great discounts on everyday shopping.”

To nominate your favourite business simply go to www.lovelocallife.co.uk and you could win a voucher for £200!

For more information on the scheme, either as a card-holder or retailer wanting to participate, simply log on to: www.lovelocallife.co.uk

Weekly riding lesson in Audley – does this count as local? Off to Crewe (not local) to fetch mobile phone from repair – taken in before I started the challenge! They’ve wiped all my photos without telling me. Not happy.Also visited Co-op Travel – there now is no travel agent in Alsager. Lastly into the village for batteries and chicken.

Fri 20^th Jan

Off to Liverpool to meet my daughter at Uni there so she can take me out for a belated birthday lunch. I did not buy a thing but enjoyed the ‘buzz’ and wondered what makes a ‘buzz’. We want our communities and shopping areas to have one. It requires a certain people density, chatter, laughter, movement, an amount of busy-ness. So for Alsager to have an attractive buzz, enough people must be attracted into the centre to shop, work and use the local services. The market being on Alsager’s traditional half-day closing is a problem. Changing the market day will be a problem for traders. Can local businesses change half-day closing to another day?

Sat 21^st Jan

Alsager’s  Farmers Market ! I love it and enjoyed my visit as always. It was quieter than average as is the case for many January Farmers Markets as many traders have their annual break after the busy Christmas season. Stalls included veg, meat, cakes and treats, honey and bee products, wood and glass crafts, cards, curry sauces, bread, thermal clothing and delicatessen goods. There was also information from Manor House Hotel and the Alsager Adventure, a community initiative. A dance school was  advertising their classes, demonstrating on the stage.  Alsager Animals In Need were fund-raising too and refreshments were available. I spent £20 on honey, beef, cakes, curry sauce, bread and dog treats. It’s not cheap shopping but the quality is superb, it’s local and I like talking to the producers. Buying from this market gives us variety in our food shopping and, once a month, I feel the extra expense is justifiable. I know this is not the case for all. Perhaps there could be a Bargain Board outside the Market where stall-holders can advertise their special offers outside and perhaps draw more shoppers in?

One thing I notice on my challenge is that I am using cash more and plastic less. This may make me think more before I spend.

After the Market I go to the Co-op to buy other necessities. I wonder if using the Co-op is truly in the spirit of LoveLocal. Should I just use the independent shops? Perhaps that could be another challenge – definitely a more expensive one. By using the independents I am generating profits to local people who, in turn, will probably spend locally. The Co-op’s profits pay Co-op staff and contribute to members’ benefits  but are more indirect to Alsager. Not new thoughts I know but what is more important?   My gut feeling is that we need both. 100% shopping from independents will sadly be too expensive for most households. We need reminding perhaps to use our independents more and enjoy the different shopping experience only they can provide. If all Alsager residents shopped locally exclusively 1 or 2 days every week would this give our centre a noticeable boost? Would this be workable?

Loyal customers are being encouraged to ‘spread the love’ this Valentine’s Day by nominating their favourite independent shop or business for the prestigious Cheshire East Love Local Life Awards.

All shoppers need do is nominate the shop of their choice in one or more of four categories by visiting the Love Local Life website www.lovelocallife.co.uk . The categories are: outstanding service; best range of products; best value; best presentation.

Each customer nominating their favourite shop will be entered into a prize draw to win a voucher for £200 to celebrate with on Valentine’s Day.

The winning shops will receive a free business makeover review from expert ‘shop doctor’ Bill Smith who helps small businesses master entrepreneurial skills.

The winning shops will also be given a year’s free subscription to the Love Local Life scheme, which is helping high streets across the Borough beat the economic downturn.

The Love Local Life card, which has so far been launched in seven Cheshire East towns, gives discounts to regular customers and promotes local shopping.

“Love Local Life is going from strength-to-strength and these awards are our way of recognising all the hard work undertaken by the business community to keep our high-streets alive and thriving.

“It’s also a way of encouraging customers to support their local shops and join the Love Local Life scheme which offers great discounts on everyday shopping.”

To nominate your favourite business simply go to www.lovelocallife.co.uk and you could win a voucher for £200!

For more information on the scheme, either as a card-holder or retailer wanting to participate, simply log on to: www.lovelocallife.co.uk

Today I went to the market for the first time in years. There were fewer stalls than I expected – and no fruit and veg stall which surprised me. Most people milling around were retirement age and seemed to be market ‘regulars’  judging by the banter between stall-holders and customers.

First stop – fresh fish van! 500g of hake cost £7.14 which seemed expensive  but  looked very fresh and was skinned and boned for me – excellent. Cod and haddock were cheaper but I worry about over-fished species and was happy to pay more for hake.  Eco-friendly loo rolls were cheap and other bargains included 500 sandwich bags £1, birthday card 80p, 2 cushion covers £5 and dog treats £1.50. The bargain of the day was a Dartington Crystal candlestick for 50p from the St Luke Hospice double decker bus shop! We were given a pair as a wedding present and one got smashed. I couldn’t believe it when I saw an exact replacement. The bus is beautifully fitted out upstairs and downstairs and stocks ladies clothes and accessories and bric-a-brac.

I wonder if the market would do better if it was visible on the main road i.e. by the Civic Centre and on the wide pavements on Lawton Road. This works well for the annual Charities market in September. I know moving traders vans on and off-site is difficult but it’s done every day in Newcastle–under-Lyme.

Then off to the Co-op and to the butchers.  

Later I collected my organic veg box from the Real Food Co. We get a small box every fortnight and today we got  8oz spinach, 1.5lb green cabbage, 6oz mushrooms, 1 large leek, 10oz tomatoes, 2 courgettes, 1 red pepper, 1.5lbs red potatoes, 1 large onion and 8oz carrots. All for £8.

I should note that living Love Local is much easier for people like me who can shop during a weekday.

Before Christmas, I signed up for a Cheshire East ‘Love Local’ card. However, Christmas preparations took over and I didn’t put much effort in to finding out about the card’s advantages or using it even. On Friday 13^th January, I decided to challenge myself to buy everything for our household locally for one month. I live with my husband and 2 teenage children (our third is at University) and 2 dogs, 2 cats, 5 chickens and 3 rats. I am self-employed and work from home.

 I like to support my local shops ( use ‘em or lose ‘em) and wonder if I can find everything we need and, if so, at what cost. I expect there will be advantages and disadvantages .. but what will they be exactly?

And so I sit down on Friday to make a shopping list. The Big Shop. Usually I drive to Tesco in Kidsgrove and can buy most things  at one go and shove it all in the car. Door to door, it usually takes 2 hours. I will be on foot and so need to be able to carry it home. I investigate the website (www.lovelocallife.co.uk) to check out the offers and discover that the Real Food Shop has 10% off fruit and veg.. on Fridays! So I get my carrots there. The rest of my ‘shop’ is done at the Co-op which doesn’t have any LoveLocal offers but I have a ‘£3 off a £30 spend’ voucher (I am a sucker for vouchers and get a lot from the Co-op using my members’ card). I notice that many things are more expensive but, in scouring the less-familiar shelves, I discover some bargains e.g. Co-op own-brand pate. Some of my shopping principles go out of the window e.g. a) loo rolls that are not eco-friendly on special offer; and b) I cannot lug 12 tins of dog food home so buy 6 which works out more expensive. Bring back delivery boys and girls..

Before heading home I stop at Colin Corbetts Butchers to buy some cold meats as my neighbour tells me how good they are. The nice man serving me recommends I heat up a beef slice for a bit in the microwave to make a hot beef sandwich. This I do and it is delicious. No-one at Tesco would have given me that tip!

The Big Shop takes only 1 hour (hurrah!), no petrol and costs nearly £40. I always plan my menus and buy accordingly so this little lot (with some store cupboard stuff) should do us till next Thursday..?

On Friday evening my hubbie takes me out for  dinner  to celebrate my recent birthday. We go to Las Chicas and have a lovely Mexican meal with 10% off the food cost as part of the LoveLocal scheme.

I think it would be really helpful if all shops participating in the LoveLocal card scheme displayed their offers prominently. Some do e.g. Delissimo but for the others I’ve had to go on-line to find out.

On Saturday I buy a baguette from Sainsbury’s to have with that pate and take some clothes in to Age UK. My daughter volunteers there on Saturday afternoons and finds some amazing bargains.

On Sunday I go to church in Alsager (surely that’s LoveLocal ethos too?) and don’t buy anything. I aim to not shop on Sundays and like to have a day that’s different. There are shops open on a Sunday in Alsager but the independents don’t as a rule and the village centre is calmer and quieter.    My generation can remember having to buy everything in 6 days but my children do not.

On Monday I need kitten food. The Co-op doesn’t have it so I buy it from the vet’s. It costs a staggering £12.20. I hope it lasts a long time…I must check out the pet shop.    

Today, Tuesday, I have been taken to Chester by my Mum and step-father as another birthday treat. Tomorrow I check out the Alsager market and buy fresh fish – something I have been meaning to do for YEARS. Need to find a recipe…

We think he needs a bit of a makeover in order to become Cheshire East’s answer to Gok Wan so we’ve sent him over to our friends at Vibe in Macclesfield to see what they can do with him.

Any ideas for a name for him greatly appreciated……………………….

Cheshire East Shops get a new mascot - Shop Local Man

I hold my hands up, in the past when booking a holiday i have jumped on-line, spent days and days searching different websites, got confused and the whole pleasure of booking a holiday is gone by the time i’ve done it as i’m completely drained!  I started out on Monday night doing exactly the same thing, got exasperated and then had a light-bulb moment – how about calling Henbury Travel?!

What a fantastic experience, I gave Richard our requirements – which is never easy when you have to find the hotel with the most fantastic food (for the husband who won’t leave our fantastic restaurant behind to sit in a sub-standard one!) with the best sports facilities ( for our 21 year old) the best snorkelling for our 11 year old and a great kids club for an 8 year old!  Quite an order!  I gave Richard our requirements yesterday lunchtime, yesterday evening I had a full selection of options to go through and check and we booked it this morning!  No stress, no hassle, just fantastic service.  We have booked a hotel that one of Richards previous clients has recommended as she has been there three times and and sings its praises, its always nice when you know someone who has been there and gives you confidence that you’re booking the right thing.

So, here i come, sun, sea and sand - just another 13 weeks to go ………..better start that bikini diet!

Additional discounts on skating and other Winterfest events for LLL cardholders.  visit www.winterfestmacclesfield.co.uk to book your tickets now!

Make sure that you suppport this unique independent trader this Christmas.  He also buys back games they have got tired of and sells the second hand games so everyone’s a winner!

Thanks to support from the town council there will be 2500 cards available FREE to Alsager residents at the launch on Saturday 19th November.  We will be joining forces with the Alsager Farmers Market on 19th November and encouraging local Alsager residents to come into town to register for their FREE card and visit the market and local shops.

Keep watching the webiste www.lovelocallife.co.uk to keep up with the offers available in each town.