Buy, gift, party here this Christmas

THE Golden Plains Shire council is encouraging residents to support businesses within the municipality this Christmas by shopping, buying, engaging, gifting, and celebrating local.

Their Gift Local This Festive Season campaign aims to keep money within the Shire to boost economic recovery post-pandemic restrictions.

It suggests people buy a special, locally made gift from a community store or farmers’ market, engage local servicepeople ahead of events, celebrate the year at a rural hospitality venue, purchase food and wine produced in the district, and pick up groceries, supplies and fuel from businesses within the Shire.

Linton Larder’s Rachael Gauci said all the local shops in her town have something to offer this Christmas.

“The Linton Emporium have fantastic new products, antiques and gift ideas, the Linton Pub have gift certificates and we have local produce, as well as local soaps and Ballarat-based candles,” she said.

“We support the council’s initiative to have community support us, because in the long term it’s supporting other local businesses as well.”

Pristine Outdoor Property Services’ Daniel Tomlinson will be leaving a few home maintenance appointments open over Christmas for last minute jobs, as people tidy up around the house for parties and the holidays.

He said local people are the lifeblood of his business, with 90 per cent of clients now in the Bannockburn, Lethbridge, and Teesdale area.

“I’ve been trading for 12 months, and we only moved to Golden Plains 12 months ago,” he said.

“When people first contact us, they ask, ‘are you a local business?’ They make a point of it. Local businesses and the community have supported us massively.”

Bannockburn Chamber of Commerce’s Samantha Ramsey said the committee is grateful to the Shire for supporting local traders, and “committing to restart and recovery.”

“It’s important now more than ever that, as a community, we get behind each other,” she said.

“We encourage everyone to celebrate local and gift local this year. We know not everyone is able to spend big, but wherever you can, keep the spend in the Shire.”

Bannockburn Chamber of Commerce has approximately 80 member businesses across the sectors of hospitality, retail and service provision.