Love Grangetown? Shop Grangetown!

A community project aiming to encourage people to “shop local” in Grangetown is getting underway with the launch of a Business Forum this Wednesday evening.

The project, in association with Cardiff University Business School, Community Gateway and Grangetown Community Action, began with a survey of more than 150 shoppers and businesses in the local area. The survey revealed that there was a positive backing for a “shop local” campaign and the promotion of independent businesses in Grangetown as well as an interest from local business owners in further training in digital marketing and IT skills.

Steve Duffy of Grangetown Community Action said:

"We've been working with the university for the last 18 months at ways of better promoting local independent businesses within Grangetown. We know there are challenges but there is also a lot of goodwill locally for the "shop local" concept and some of the ideas put forward. The business forum will be part of that - it will be an opportunity for shop and business owners to meet, but also get training in skills like social media and online marketing. There are always new people moving into Grangetown and by working together, we can help spread the word of what local shops and traders can offer, including some hidden gems, new businesses opening and ones with a long history."

The Business Forum meeting is taking place on Wednesday 25 January at Tramshed Tech on Pendyris Street between 6.30-8.30pm and will include the opportunity to:

• Network and provide a platform to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern
• Get free digital/tech and other tailor-made training including a training from an expert from Google on “Getting Businesses Online”
• Future opportunities of Q&As with local councillors, council leaders; experts from Cardiff Business School
• Work towards #LoveGrangetown/Shop Local goals and improved independent retailing and trading.

The first forum will be facilitated by business mentor Rob Firth and hosted by Grangetown Community Actionand Community Gatewaywith the kind support of Tramshed Tech.

As well as being a fantastic project for the community, the Grangetown Business Forum has also had a positive impact on the work of business students at Cardiff University who have been able to contribute a great deal towards the forum as part of their university courses.

Eleri Rosier of Cardiff University said:

"It’s fantastic to see the work both UG and PG students at Cardiff Business School have been working on since 2015 come to fruition with the launch of the very first Business Forum in Grangetown.  Feedback from my students suggest that they love working on a "live" project rather than on a purely theoretical academic piece of work and they have also commented that they feel more connected to the city in which they are studying by working on the Grangetown projects.”

The Business Forum is also supported by engagement project Community Gateway, part of the Cardiff University’s wider Transforming Communities programme. Community Gateway works hand-in-hand with residents in Grangetown to make the area an even better place to live and continues to support project ideas like the Business Forum that promote these values.

Anyone interested in what the Business Forum may be able to offer them can pop along on Wednesday night. For more information email: grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk or visit lovegrangetown.biz

*Please note: Tramshed Tech is a separate venue from the Tramsheds and is a non-licensed business venue where no alcohol will be served. Tramshed Tech are providing the space for free in order to support local businesses in Grangetown.