A Partner of Mitchell’s of Inverurie, Judy Whyte helped spearhead Inverurie 4U, a local business working group that organises marketing plans to help the town’s local retailers, including a huge event on 4th July.
Before we talk Inverurie 4U, can you tell us a bit about your shop?
We’re an independent grocers that crosses a line between convenience store and farm shop. My great-grandparents bought the shop in 1928. In the 60s it was the first shop in the town to adopt self-service. We’ve now got a teashop adjacent to the store too that has been keeping locals and tourists coming to the shop for years.
You must use a lot of local producers then?
Absolutely.We get our main deliveries through Palmer & Harvey, but use a huge number of local suppliers. It’s a big part of the shop.
And what role to independent shops play in Inverurie?
They are vital, the backbone of the town. Inverurie has grown quickly. It’s got a lot bigger and has become a victim of its own success to a certain extent. The shops in the town are part of the appeal, but we need to ensure people use them. It’s gone from being a market town to a commuter town.
So that’s where Inverurie 4U comes in?
Exactly. It’s an offshoot of the business association where we pay an extra £140 which all goes towards a marketing budget. It’s cheaper than a single newspaper advert and with 50 shops involved, it means we can do more to promote Inverurie.
What’s the aim of Inverurie 4U?
We aim to attract more footfall into the shops. For Independent Retailer’s Day we tailored the national campaign. In the US, there’s a concept called First Friday where on the first Friday of the month shops stay open later and encourage people to visit. We did the same in 2013.
What did it entail?
The idea was to entice the people who live here but don’t shop here to see what’s on offer. It was like an exhibition of what the town can provide. There was something family-friendly in every shop. This year 4th July fell the same day the schools finished so we had a ‘School’s Out For Summer’ theme. There was a bouncy castle, games, competitions.
How do you promote the event?
Social media has become a major part of our marketing. It’s great for engagement, for self-promotion. It is cheaper than a newspaper ad and it lasts a lot longer too. We’re building up a community of followers and showcasing what our shops can offer?
What’s next for Inverurie 4U?
We’ll be turning our focus to Christmas. We made a video last year that was posted online. It went viral and had 21,000 views. It was done last minute too, with a local videographer, so this year we’re planning ahead.
