More than 400 Central Coast businesses have pledged to spend $21M in supporting each other through the Bigger Backyard Central Coast campaign.
Nine weeks into the Central Coast’s largest buy local campaign, Business NSW Central Coast Regional Director, Paula Martin, said it had achieved a major milestone with 407 businesses signing up.
“The Bigger Backyard Central Coast campaign is a standout performer at encouraging business to spend locally,” Martin said.
“When the local Chambers came together to respond to the devastating effects of Covid-19, designing the campaign was a no brainer.
“With Over 80% of our business community affected by the coronavirus pandemic at the time of launch, it was critical to provide a platform that business could use to inform each other how their business models had changed.
“Businesses on the Central Coast are large consumers in their own right and with disruptions to supply chains caused by the crisis, showcasing the breadth of business across the Coast was vital to boost our local economy.
“Thanks to the food and manufacturing roots of our region, coupled with a fastgrowing professional services sector, Central Coast businesses affected by the crisis can find many things they need to operate locally.
“The Bigger Backyard Central Coast app promotes new operating hours, new customer service methods and disruptions in supply chain and distribution channels.
“We have seen a 40 per cent drop in supply chain issues since launch.”
Martin said a united business community can be a very powerful economic driver. “Other regional economies have seen a threefold return when businesses spend locally,” she said.
“By our calculations, Bigger Backyard Central Coast has generated $62M for the Central Coast economy.”
Bigger Backyard Central Coast is the collaborative design of the Gosford Erina Business Chamber, Wyong Regional Business Chamber, The Entrance Chamber and Peninsula Chamber, supported by Central Coast Council and Business NSW.
The campaign spearheads a longer-term Chamber led economic initiative called In Good Company” designed to create a much-needed business identity for the region.
“With Covid-19 presenting new challenges daily, now is the time to advocate for a business identity that is unique to the Central Coast and facilitate the expansion of growth locally as well as investment into the region,” Martin said.
Source: Media release, Jul 8 Business Chamber NSW Central Coast