The message is simple: Keep It Local! (From Gazette & Herald)

The message is simple: Keep It Local!

A CAMPAIGN aimed at boosting business in Malton and Norton was launched last night by one of the area's business leaders, Jeremy Powell.

The 'Keep It Local'' campaign is urging people in the towns and surrounding villages to shop locally, and for businesses to do business with each other rather than go out of the area, said Mr Powell, head of the Palace Cinema.

He said that since he took over at the cinema more than three years ago and re-opened it after it had been closed for six years, he had proved that people were prepared to support local businesses.

Mr Powell, originally from Cumbria, moved to the area with his family after seeing a film of North Yorkshire about an RAC rally, said: "Our towns have so much to offer. They have a good variety of individual shops which have a great appeal."

He cited Yates in Railway Street as one of the big success stories of the towns. "It attracts people from a very wide area and they must spend money elsewhere in Malton in other shops."

Public houses, restaurants, garages, builders merchants, businesses on the industrial estates in York Road and The Showfield, together with hotels, could all benefit from the "Keep It Local" initiative, said Mr Powell. Hundreds of leaflets have been distributed by the Malton and Norton Initiative around the area and car stickers are to be produced to get the message to a wide area.

In addition, it is planned to erect a banner across Yorkersgate, one of the main roads leading into Malton, underlining the ''Keep It Local'' message. As part of the campaign, a business directory is being produced to encourage people to use local traders and for businesses to do business with others in the towns.

"The lead up to Christmas seems to be an ideal time to run the campaign, to discourage people from travelling to such places as Monks Cross. That is costly in terms of fuel and the rocketing price of petrol, and in greenhouse gases which damages the environment," said Mr Powell.

"If we can persuade people to do business in the towns, it will have a very significant impact on the local economy by keeping money in the towns."

Many shops already offered discounts, he said, making it an attractive proposition to buy locally.

The night-time economy, too, stood to benefit considerably, with the upmarket restaurants and pubs oozing with history and character.

His campaign was backed by Ryedale MP John Greenway. "I feel strongly that people should use their local shopping facilities,'' he said.

Asked about the impact of car parking charges on Malton and Norton, Mr Powell said: "I think they do have some impact, but even with them it is still more competitive to shop locally when the high cost of fuel is taken into account."

Updated: 11:50 Wednesday, October 19, 2005