Business owners in Grangetown say they’re suffering because people aren’t shopping locally.
Local shop owner Bhikhalal Mepani, who opened Fusion Foods on Clare Road two years ago says more needs to be done to promote small businesses to make locals aware of what they offer.
He says the lack of parking spaces near the shops is a major issue because it’s putting residents off stopping and coming in.
Local support group, Grangetown Community Action acknowledged that there was a problem and have set up a new campaign called ‘Love Grangetown, Shop Grangetown’ to encourage local residents to make use of their nearby shops rather than relying on online shopping or supermarket chains.
Ali Abdi, a member of Grangetown Community Action says “It’s the first of its kind in Grangetown. We’ve got lots of independent shops but they don’t really work with each other. We want to re-energise those businesses.”
They are collaborating with Cardiff University Business School and Tramshed Tech to set up the Grangetown Business Forum, where local businesses can collaborate and share ideas.
Tramshed Tech, which opened in Grangetown in September last year, is a community hub which aims to build links between local companies.
They will hosting the first event for Grangetown Business Forum tomorrow night.
Elizabeth Arnold, the events manager says “They can benefit by learning more about how to use social media and websites to target their customers online. It’s a chance for Grangetown businesses to get together, small or large.
“They need to close the gap.”
