Pwllheli Business Network
Rhwydwaith Busnes Pwllheli (Pwllheli Business Network)
Cymuned believes that small local businesses are a vital part of the economy of Pen Llŷn, and that such businesses should be prioritised in any attempt to strengthen that economy. Local businesses consistently keep between 60% to 80% of their turnover in the local economy, where chain stores can keep as little as 14%. Local businesses also tend to offer better salaries than chain stores, and in communities such as Pen Llŷn they are also a backbone for the language.
On a British level, chain stores have by now arrived at a point where it is very difficult for them to grow any further in the cities and larger towns, and they have therefore begun to compete for the smaller towns. This creates an obvious risk for Pen Llŷn – chain stores make their profits through centralising as much as possible, and through paying low salaries. In other words, they function like enormous hoovers, sucking wealth out of the local economy.
There are only two ways to stand against this. Firstly, it’s possible to refuse planning permission for chain stores, and the Council should be lobbied strongly to do so. However, it must be recognised that the Council will not always decide in favour of local businesses, so it is also vital that local businesses themselves compete against the chain stores.
There is a tendency to believe that this can’t be done, because of the mismatch in terms of resources – but as a number of projects throughout the British Isles have shown, co-operative marketing as part of a local business network can increase turnover by as much as 25%. That’s enough to make sure that the majority of small businesses can survive the damaging effects of new chain stores in their area.
Cymuned has decided that this subject of of such importance to the future of our Welsh-speaking communities (and, indeed, all communities throughout Cymru) that the movement should commit some of its resources to promoting a network of this kind.
The Nature of the Network
It is not enough just to form a network – far too often, projects like this are run by councils or agencies which invite everyone to join, and then invite everyone to think about what they can do. Without dismissing discussion groups entirely, Cymuned would like to emphasise that clear, practical ideas that can be put into operation quickly are needed to form a successful network.
As part of Rhwydwaith Busnes Pwllheli, the following services are offered to every member:
• ‘Siopwch yn Lleol’ posters with network members’ details on them
• ‘Siopwch yn Lleol’ badges for customers
• Good quality ‘Siopwch yn Lleol’ bags for customers
[The three points above have been shown to be effective in terms of raising consciousness about local businesses and the need to support them]
• A co-operative website to promote network members and to advertise special offers
• A directory of network members as part of the website
• Articles in Llanw Llŷn about different local businesses and the characters who run them
• Articles/coverage in the Caernarfon & Denbigh about different local businesses and the characters who run them
• A weekly e-mail to local shoppers to draw their attention to special offers by network members
• A ‘Useful Local Phone Numbers’ card for local shoppers which also advertises network members
• Loyalty cards for local shoppers, with a small discount that each member can set for themselves
• A series of interviews with well-known people in Pen Llŷn to draw attention to the local shops that they frequent – this would not only create interesting content for the co-operative website, but also the strong possibility of further coverage in the local press
• A collection of recommendations by customers in order to emphasise the better service available in local businesses – to be used/promoted on posters, bags, the website and possibly also in the local press
Cymuned is able to set aside one day per week for the above work, but the long term future of the network depends on network members contributing £20 a month in order to finance further developments and, in due course, employ a dedicated officer part or full time. The monthly payments will be made to a separate, ring-fenced account, and will not be used for anything other than the business network – accounts will be open and available for any network member to check at any time.
With financial resources and/or an officer, it would be possible for the network to consider further developments such as:
• Promoting shopping day trips to Pwllheli from areas such as Blaenau Ffestiniog, Bethesda, Caernarfon/Bangor, Dolgellau and possibly further afield. These trips could be promoted on the basis of the unique experience of shopping in Pwllheli, with the wide range of local businesses and the natural Welsh-speaking environment. Projects such as ‘Gwyliau Cymraeg’ will be willing to co-operate in promoting this nationally.
• Arranging a month of celebrations leading up to Christmas, with shops staying open late and entertainment being arranged on the Maes and in the Neuadd – providing Christmas-themed wrapping paper for businesses that sell goods which can be wrapped, to help draw attention to the late opening nights
• Developing the co-operative website so that it can offer online sales, and arranging co-operatively based distribution direct to the customer in order to compete successfully against the chain store ‘one stop shop’ model. Enabling local people to shop locally without even coming to town…
• Holding a weekly/monthly raffle where shoppers get a ticket for every purchase in a network member shop, with a weekly/monthly prize sponsored by one of the network members – this would also lead to more coverage in the press
• Selling ‘Siopwch yn Lleol’ t-shirts with pictures of Pwllheli on them
• Arranging a quarterly meeting for network members where guest speakers will be invited to give practical advice on promoting the network and individual businesses more successfully. This forum will also enable network members to make specific suggestions and discuss specific developments with the network development officer
• Develop a network of ‘Local Business Supporters’ for an individual contribution of £5 a month where members of the supporters’ network get a monthly e-mail with bargains not available elsewhere (such as surplus stock, returns, etc)
• Develop a tourist pack which presents local businesses to the tourist market by making ‘menu’ suggestions for local activities and shopping opportunities in the area
• Develop an ‘ideas pack’ for local people and local societies in order to highlight how to use local businesses as part of arranging marriages, parties, romantic nights out, weekend activities and so on
• Develop a ‘bonus points’ system where shopping locally leads to free tickets for activities which don’t cost anything for the businesses offering them – free tickets to plays or films, to go bowling or sailing and so on
If you would like to become a member of the Pwllheli Business Network, please email us at cymuned[at]cymuned.org or give us a call on 01758-612712 - we will be happy to send you out a membership form.
