Couple launch offer scheme for Northants local independent businesses

Get exclusive offers and discounts at local independent businesses with this new scheme
A new discount and offer book to promote local and independent businesses in Oundle is being launched by a Kings Cliffe couple.A new discount and offer book to promote local and independent businesses in Oundle is being launched by a Kings Cliffe couple.
A new discount and offer book to promote local and independent businesses in Oundle is being launched by a Kings Cliffe couple.

A couple from East Northamptonshire have launched a money-saving scheme to boost local independent businesses.

Andy and Kelly Johnston, from Kings Cliffe, have created Your Little Book of Eats and Treats. It is a pocket-sized collection of offers and discounts in local and independent businesses in the Oundle area.

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Andy, 38, said: "Even before the pandemic, towns and villages up and down the country had been impacted by several factors and the so-called death of the high street can be put down to many things: the growth of out-of-town shopping, Brexit and now Covid-19.

"All of our lives have been affected by the pandemic in one way or another and there has never been a more important time to show our support for our local communities and help inject new life into the towns and villages we love, whilst operating within government guidelines."

Many businesses in Oundle and surrounding villages have already signed up to Your Little Book of Eats and Treats and 10,000 copies of the book are going to drop through letterboxes in the PE8 area in January.

Andy and Kelly have been affected by the pandemic themselves, with Andy losing his job during lockdown. The former Prince William School pupils put their time to good use and decided to create something to benefit the local community.

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Kelly said: "We love where we live and want to see our community thrive. That was the driver which made us want to do something to support local businesses.

"In these difficult times, we wanted to create something which builds upon the sense of pride and love we have in the local area.

"By signing up, local businesses will be exposed to thousands of potential customers via quarterly editions of the book, allowing them to promote appropriate offers to suit the season. Our concept is simple - do more, spend less!"

For a full list of the businesses signed up, see below.

Chairman of Oundle Business Association, Paul Eveleigh, said: "Oundle Business Association strives to promote the commercial wellbeing of the town of Oundle and its surrounding villages by increasing trade and seeking inward investment in the town.

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"In these testing times, as ever, we embrace new initiatives which seek to encourage spending in the area and therefore benefit the shops, restaurants and other businesses which make up the fabric of our town and the surrounding villages.

"We applaud new association members Andy and Kelly for having the vision to invest in Oundle and we wish them every success with this exciting enterprise."

Oundle is the first step for the couple, who have two children, Darcey, four, and Monty, seven months. If successful, they plan to launch Your Little Book of Eats and Treats in other areas, so helping regenerate independent local businesses throughout the UK.

Your Little Book of Eats and Treats will also contain food reviews and shopping pages, with everything available locally. For more information, please visit the website here.

Businesses already signed up are:

· Amps Wine Merchants, Oundle

· Boxwood Café at The Barn Garden Centre, Oundle

· Kings Cliffe Bakery

· Restore at the Wharf, Oundle

· Riva Pizza, Peterborough

· Tandee Nursery, Thurning

· The Beauty Room, Oundle

· The Cross Keys, Kings Cliffe

· The Willow & Brook, Apethorpe

· Buttercup Florist, Oundle

· The Chequered Skipper, Ashton

· Stupots, Oundle

· The Kings Head, Wadenhoe

· Alwalton Hall, Alwalton

· Dexter’s, Oundle

· Active Performance, Kings Cliffe

· Oundle Travel

· The Falcon Inn, Fotheringhay

· The George, Oundle

· The Coffee Tavern, Oundle

· The Shuckburgh Arms, Stoke Doyle

· Onkar, Oundle

· The Greedy Piglet, Oundle

· Designers Hair Studio, Oundle

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