A CAMPAIGN to get people to make the most of their local shops has been given a new look.

Hexham Shop Local was set up in 2015 by Edd Green, who runs the town’s newsagents, Cookes & Peggs News.

Five years on, and with the pressures on high streets as strong as ever, the scheme which promotes local shops through its Facebook page, has been given a revamp, with Edd now helped by Zoe Philipson, who runs Tyne Valley Ices.

“We are relaunching it with a new logo,” said Zoe, who hopes local shops will display the stickers in their front windows.

“I just want to regenerate it,” she said. “There are a lot of worries about Hexham high street and stores closing, and people forgetting about the niche market. I have nothing against the bigger stores, but we should support our local shops like our local butcher or buy the local flowers from the market.

“There are some great shops here and I hope local people are using them rather than travelling out to chains in Newcastle, when we have got local businesses run by local families.”

Edd said one of the problems was that not all shoppers were aware of what was on their doorstep.

“We have fantastic shops that are small and independent, but they do not get the exposure that they need,” he said.

“People move here for a reason, because it is a nice market town, but the market is declining and the town is declining. So this is about increasing the exposure to say we are here. I am passionate about this town. I moved here seven or eight years ago and thought, what a beautiful place, what lovely people.

“The Facebook site has more than 1,000 members and we want to increase that and get more people to know about the town.”