Bridgnorth businesses celebrate the town's Love Local success
Bridgnorth was the winner on Love Local day, with businesses in the town celebrating its community spirit and diversity.
Nearly 40 businesses were nominated in the awards, which is run nationally and was held to coincide with Valentine's day.
Traders as diverse as The Bridgnorth Bus and Coach Company, Willz Motor Shop and Woods Dry Cleaners were nominated through the popular Facebook page Love Bridgnorth, which has 12,000 followers online.
The town also joined ShopAppy in November 2021, a website which aims to highlight independent businesses which benefit financially when people make orders online, but they are also encouraged to visit them in person. The site has had 27,000 visits since Bridgnorth joined it.
Bridgnorth was in the top five of the national statistics for businesses nominated by area in the Love Local awards and a random choice made of which business won the competition. The Perfume Store in Whitburn Street was chosen as the winner, with one lucky person nominated for a £50 voucher to spend in store.
Organiser Sally Themans, who also helped Bridgnorth win the large market town category in the Great British High street competition in 2016, runs the Love Bridgnorth group and co-ordinated things from Venice over the weekend, where she was on a weekend away.
She said: "I’m delighted so many local businesses have been nominated by members of the public and to be in the top five of those in the country just goes to show how much people value the retailers and shops in the town as well local service, local produce and supporting each other.
"We also have a retailers WhatsApp group with over 100 businesses in and all work together in a coordinated and collaborative way to promote the town."
Five-year-old Sophia Norgrove was presented with a special valentine themed cup-cake for her nomination for The Cake Room, which she called 'The best shop in the world."
The shop was opened five years ago by Carrieanne Bishop and as well as producing and decorating cakes, sells balloons, party items and hosts courses in cake baking and design.
Carrieanne said: "I was only too happy to take part in this celebration of businesses in Bridgnorth which can only be good for the town, and it was a pleasure to see young Sophia here as she and her family are very valued customer."
