Goya Dmytryshchak
Williamstown Chamber of Commerce president Nikki Eyes stands in her empty warehouse.
The founder of Little Ginger, who normally hosts events in her Williamstown North venue, has joined a Hobsons Bay council campaign to support traders in the sixth lockdown.
The ‘Shop local, support local’ social media campaign includes six online videos to promote some of the municipality’s larger trading precincts.
Traders have been invited to send in an image of themselves and a statement on how the community can support them, including changed business models.
“Last year, we were closed for 42 weeks,” Ms Eyes says.
“The financial side of it is excruciating but the mental [side] feels like only the fittest and the strongest will be here at the end.
“We’ve put as our request [to the council campaign] to book a social event because we could open tomorrow as a pub; have groups of up to 10 if they took us out of lockdown six.
“My request was to book a social event or a social occasion later in the year … things like open mic nights, drag queen bingo.”
Ms Eyes said Williamstown was a “ghost town”.
“In general, with the businesses, I honestly don’t know what the landscape will look like in another 12 months’ time,” she said.
Local businesses have put forward ideas for the campaign such as following them on social media, visiting their websites, ordering online, ordering directly from businesses and booking for a future date.
Businesses wanting to get involved may visit hobsonsbaybusiness.com.au/shoplocal
