More than 40 independent businesses have signed up to take part in an Independents’ Week organised by Cambridge Business Improvement District (BID), which will run from 4-7 July 2019. Participating businesses will sport distinctive bunting on their storefronts and give out free Love Cambridge Independents cotton bags. Each business has something special to offer customers, from a two-day calligraphy course at Tindalls on King Street to a Mocktails and Cocktails evening at Cambridge Contemporary Art, and free style-coaching experience with purchases at OSKA.
There are over 250 independent businesses in the city, from restaurants to retailers, hotels and professional services firms.
“Every independent business helps to make Cambridge into a distinctive and vibrant destination for shoppers, visitors and residents. They each have a special role to play in giving the city centre its character, which is why we want to take a few days to celebrate everything that they offer,” comments Kristian Foreman, Marketing & Communications Executive at Cambridge BID.
“We’ve been impressed by the creativity that some businesses have shown in putting together events, and discounts for this year’s Independents’ Week. It’s not every day, for instance, that you get to meet Albus Dumbledore’s long-lost cousin, Colonel Crumbelclaw, at Jacks on Trinity. Harriet Kelsall is exhibiting a stunning collection of gemstones, hand-picked by their in-house gemologist, and Cambridge Gin Laboratory is running classes on how to decorate a drink with flourish and flair.”
Independents’ Week in Cambridge is timed to coincide with Independents’ Day UK, a national not-for-profit campaign that exists to support and promote independent retail businesses across the UK all year round, but with an annual focus on 4 July. Independents account for 65% of the approximately 290,000 retail outlets in the UK and are found at the heart of local communities throughout the country.
“By shopping locally, you have a genuine, positive impact on the community,” explains Kristian. “For every £1 spent locally, around 50p to 70p of that money re-circulates back into the local economy. However, it’s the experience you get with our indies that makes the most difference: they bring an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for their business that is exciting to see and support.”
Full details of all offers available during Independents’ Week in Cambridge can be found at www.cambridgebid.co.uk.
Members of the public are also invited to pick up a free map, produced by Cambridge BID, which shows the location of all 250 independent businesses in the city. Copies are available in various locations, including Park & Ride hubs and shopping centres.