Cash Mob helps boost local businesses

Cash Mobs are the latest craze in helping to promote local businesses and shops

Cash Mobs are the latest craze in helping to promote local independent businesses and shops. This afternoon (4 July) in Rochdale town centre, a cash mob was held to motivate people into shopping locally.

The cash mobs are organised through the idea of We Will Gather. We Will Gather is an organisation that helps people start an action in their community.

Debbie O’Brien, chief executive of Rochdale Town Centre Management said: “We are highlighting what is in the town centre and hoping to motivate the whole town to stay local.”

A cash mob is an event in which people come together to shop at one shop at the same time, usually pledging to spend a minimum amount of £5 or £10. The group arranges to meet at a designated area before choosing a local business out of a hat.

The group also get the people involved to leave feedback about their in store experience. This is then passed to the retailer.

Rebecca Hilton, owner of Craft Cottage in Rochdale Emporium where today’s cash mob visited said: “They are really good. They definitely help to promote local businesses.”

Debbie has four more planned for July.

She said: “There will be one every week in July and the last one will be in the markets to help promote our lovely stalls.”

With July being Independent Retailer month, the group want to encourage people from the community to shop locally whenever they can.

Buying locally can help boost the community, rebuild confidence in the community and help enable local businesses to grow.

Debbie added: “The last cash mob we did generated a couple of hundred pounds for that store and got them some repeat business.”