As more businesses across the country start to reopen following the nationwide lockdown, Doncaster Chamber of Commerce has launched a website to help local firms.

This site is called ShopAppy, and it has been created for retailers and other businesses in Doncaster. The local council is urging both the companies and people living in the town to take a look at the site, which is completely free to use, and small Doncaster firms can sign up to at no cost for the next year.

Should they choose to create an account, the companies will be given their own section of the website to sell their services or products from. The intention is to help smaller firms rooted in the area to recover from the economic impact of the pandemic.

Speaking to Doncaster Free Press, the Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber, Dan Fell, said:

“We can support them in the best way possible by giving them as much custom as we all can. If you can buy it locally rather than from a distant warehouse online you are helping rebuild Doncaster’s economy.”

ShopAppy is being described by Dr Jackie Mulligan, who founded it, as offering small local firms a virtual shop window customised to their needs. Other services, such as a business accountant in Doncaster that specialises in advising smaller firms, will provide help that is similarly tailored to them.

Mulligan stated that she was excited about the launch and that this was a crucial time for small businesses.