SKIPTON businessman, Andrew Mear, is helping to introduce a new on-line service designed to boost shopping in the town.

Andrew, managing director of Eagerlux, which owns High Corn Mill, High Street House and Victoria Square, is keen to promote a new shopping website – ShopAppy − which has recently been featured on BBC’s The One Show, and is already making a difference in nine towns across the region.

Research indicates that one of the biggest barriers to people shopping in their area is ease of information and convenience.

ShopAppy, created by Yorkshire based entrepreneur Jackie Mulligan, addresses these issues by offering an easy and convenient way to shop at local independent shops.

And, it works in a similar way to supermarket ‘click and collect’ websites.

Andrew, who is also Chairman of Skipton BID, is helping to launch ShopAppy in the town by providing his own tenants with the service, free for the first year.

With Skipton BID also offering a 50 per cent subsidy to BID businesses, the town now has 11 retailers − including its first market stall – signed up to the scheme, which is scheduled to go live in the middle of November.

"ShopAppy is a great solution to the problem of big online retailers taking business away from our independent shops," said Andrew.

"The website allows businesses to be open 24 hours a day, and most importantly gives customers choice and flexibility around shopping closer to home."

He added: “ShopAppy is already working well in Ilkley, Otley, Saltaire and Shipley, with clear evidence that it is encouraging visitors and residents to buy from their retailers more often. So it’s fantastic that the service will be going live in Skipton in plenty of time for Christmas.”

If you are a Skipton retailer and require further information about how to join ShopAppy, please email info@skiptonbid.com

For further information about ShopAppy please visit the website: shopappy.com

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