A historic Crouch End pharmacy has launched a shop window campaign to promote independent businesses on the high street as it battles the rise of online shopping.
Petter Pharmacy, in The Broadway, which has served the Crouch End community for more than 50 years, has adorned its windows with messages encouraging high street shopping, such as: "Shop local, spend local, enjoy local",
The campaign, which will run until Mother's Day on March 22, was kick-started to reach out to Crouch End shoppers and show the value of face-to-face retail, where customers can step foot in a store, interact with staff and, most importantly, buy what they need.
"We decided that this is a nice way of ensuring the high street can survive," said Petter Pharmacy manager Nishal Patel, 32.
"We have had brilliant feedback. We were not sure how people were going to react and whether, being in the busy world of London, they would take the time to stop and read the messages, but the amount of feedback we have had is tremendous.
"A lot of people have taken pictures and a lot of people say what a brilliant campaign it is.
"We have been amazed by how well the community has taken it on."
"It's a reminder to shoppers that we are here and we will continue to serve the local community," he added.
Messages on Petter's windows read: "Save the high street"; "See it here, buy it here, keep us here"; "Think out of the box, shop local"; "Great gifts, great service, shop here"; "Grow our community, shop local".
Despite this positive, upbeat messaging, Nishal warns of the huge challenge that online shopping poses to the future, vitality and independence of the high street.
He said: "In the local area we will have six or seven delivery vans every day so there is massive competition.
"A lot of people ask us to price match, which we always try and do where it's possible, but every year that passes is a tougher year for businesses on the high street.
"So this campaign is a nice reminder of how we, as a local business that cares about people, can help."
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