WE are delighted to be launch our Love Local Business campaign today.

During the coronavirus pandemic there has been substantial help for businesses in the form of the Government’s furlough and grant schemes, but that has been about saving companies from collapsing. Now that we are through the worst of the Covid-19 crisis, our thoughts start to turn to how we can help businesses recover and eventually return to something near their pre-lockdown position.

Here, we can help by promoting the fact that these businesses are open again – or soon to re-open, or never closed in some cases – and remind our readers why our local traders are so special, to encourage them to spend their money with them.

There is a personal story behind every one of these businesses: they are run by people who are trying to keep a job to keep providing for their families. If we don’t support our local shops, pubs, hotels, law firms and all the other traders that make up Worcester’s economy, we risk losing many of these businesses forever.

Let’s show we support them.