The Campaign ‘Shop Local, Shop Yass’ has been slammed by shop owners outside of Yass, concerned they have been neglected by the Yass Valley Council.
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The proprietor of Mayfield Mews in Bowning says the campaign made business owners in the Yass Villages feel polarised.
“It certainly wasn’t successful for operators in the villages,” Cyril Cox said. “We pay a substantial amount of money to the council so we can be put in the local business guide, and they turn around and promote shop local, shop Yass, not Yass Valley.”
The #ShopLocalShopYass promotion was designed to promote local shopping, where residents were encouraged to support businesses, their livelihoods, as well as keeping jobs in the local area.
The concern was spiked by an article that was written in the Yass Tribune on Wednesday, July 13 regarding the upcoming council elections. Councillor Jasmin Jones who will be running again, labeled the campaign as one of her ‘runs on the board’.
“She was saying it was one of her crediting achievements, yet that campaign completely polarised everyone outside the main street of Yass.”
“Small businesses spend money in council advertising and it seems as though we just get nothing in return for this commitment.”
Bernie Howe, proprietor of Bowning Antique Centre said he felt ‘shut out’ by the campaign.
“We weren't even asked or spoken to about it, I found out about it when I made a trip into Yass one day and saw all the promotional stuff,” he said.
“I was cranky when Jasmin made comments about the effectiveness of the campaign, she didn’t visit us or talk to us about it. It certainly was localising the shopping opportunities in Yass.”
The campaign started in December of last year and signs can still be found hanging around the township.
Council said last year’s campaign was organised to assist main street businesses promote late night shopping and their extended hours of operation in the lead up to Christmas.
Cr Jones has labelled the individual comments as ‘toxic,’ saying although she was the genesis behind the original concept, the #ShopLocalShopYass was different to her original proposal.
“It was initially my project, named Shop Local - Yass Valley "It's In the Bag" campaign, supporting local small businesses Valley wide, and encouraging local shopping,” she said. “This other campaign was something that came later, each with its own merits.”
“We got such a great response from my campaign back in 2013, it was the first time we had anything that promoted pride in, and encouraged, local shopping. I also try to promote our local businesses everywhere on social media.”
Cr Jones said she believed the campaign was strategically focused on the CBD, but wasn't exclusive to it.
“With close to 50 per cent of our working population going across the border to work and inevitably shop, I personally couldn’t stand by and do nothing. As a community, it's within our power to let our businesses starve a slow death or fight for them and see them thrive. The campaign I designed was our first attempt to address this, and I fully support council's #ShopLocalShopYass campaign too,” she continued.
“I was contacted by an individual after the article was printed and offered to take this complaint further, keeping official communication channels open, yet the offer was declined. I believe I have done everything I can to offer to present this person's views to council staff.”