The Ham&High has teamed up with a West Hampstead entrepreneur in a drive to encourage people to shop locally this Christmas.
Former Highgate School pupil Alex Schlagman, of Birchington Road, is on a mission to revive the high street and promote independent local shops through his website PocketHighStreet.com.
This platform brings unique local shops onto the internet, promotes their stock and then delivers it within hours to customers.
Mr Shlagman is offering shops in the Ham&High, Broadway and Wood&Vale area the chance to join PocketHighStreet for free in time for Christmas.
His team will then produce a unique Christmas gift guide, with unusual and special present ideas on sale in our local shops to be featured in the Ham&High.
Mr Schlagman said: “We will handpick gifts from local shops to help you discover the perfect Christmas present for your friends and family. Enjoy one-hour delivery on everything for all those last-minute presents.
“We all dread the day when we no longer have high streets, just big out-of-town pick-up points.
“There is a lot of talk about the high street dying, but I believe the high street does not need to be in conflict with the internet, but can thrive with it.
“Our mission is to reinvent and revive the high street by putting everything for sale in every unique and special local shop at everyone’s fingertips.
“PocketHighStreet aims to bring what is special and unique about each town or village centre onto the web and promote individual local shops to a wider audience.
“It will not only boost sales but also drive more footfall onto the high streets by showing millions more shoppers what is there.
“Couriers will deliver local stock within an hour right to customers’ doors, but it also offers a click-and-collect service from the shops, which increases footfall and brings new customers to the shops’ doors.”
Once shops have signed up, his team will create the local gift guide with unusual presents.
The entrepreneur is also a founding partner of the group savethehighstreet.org, which has produced a manifesto and aims to support and empower local shopkeepers.
Register in time for our gift guide here
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