A virtual directory of Hackney businesses has been set up by the Council as a part of their new campaign ‘Love Hackney, Shop Local’.
The directory, called ‘My Virtual Hackney’, helps local residents find businesses that have had to close their premises under new lockdown restrictions but are still able to operate online or through click and collect.
Many independent businesses in Hackney have been struggling as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and the restrictions that have been placed on shops and businesses deemed as non-essential by the government.
Guy Nicholson, council cabinet minister for Planning, Culture and Inclusive Economy said, “the time has come for us all to pull together as one community to support our local businesses and traders and make sure that when COVID has passed we have a strong business community able to serve us into the future.”
One Hackney business that has been heavily affected by the pandemic is Paper Dress Yoga; a Yoga studio that is also home to a vintage clothing shop: Paper Dress Vintage. Owner, Hannah Turner Voakes said, “I think the My Virtual Neighbourhood Hackney is a brilliant directory, the site is easy to use and it’s so nice having a well put together directory like that, which is free to be listed on. I absolutely feel like on a grander scale it is very easy to feel lost, like you can’t help, but shopping local is something that everyone can do and it genuinely helps small, independent businesses like ours.”
The co-founder of Hackney Central restaurant Caldera has also welcomed the scheme, saying “ ‘Love Hackney, Shop Local’ is a great initiative that will hopefully allow small and independent businesses like ourselves to be given a better chance of weathering the lockdown again.”
