Independent retailers across Sunderland are proving that the high street still has plenty of life in it.
Across the city and surrounding communities, a growing number of small businesses are rediscovering their confidence and expanding their reach thanks to a programme designed to help them harness digital tools while staying true to their bricks-and-mortar roots.
Over the past year, the Digitising the High Street initiative has supported 22 independent retailers – from florists to cycle shops and children’s boutiques – helping them improve their online presence, reach new audiences and strengthen their place at the heart of their communities.
Delivered as part of the Enterprising Sunderland programme and funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the support has extended far beyond the city centre. Businesses in neighbourhoods including Pallion, Grangetown, Fulwell, Ryhope and Houghton have all taken part.
For many traders, the experience has been transformational.
At Little Lambs in Pallion, owner Nicol Lamb had long known the boutique offered something special to customers who visited in person. Translating that experience online, however, had always proved more difficult.
Following a digital review, the business underwent a website overhaul, refreshed its branding and developed a more focused social media approach. The results have been striking: website traffic has increased by 42 per cent and the boutique’s social media following has doubled.
More importantly, the changes have helped the business reach new customers beyond its immediate neighbourhood.
In Shiney Row, meanwhile, Carlos Cycles has experienced its busiest year yet after introducing an online booking system for repairs through a newly updated website. Demand has risen sharply, with cycle repairs up by 23 per cent, enabling owner Carl Hackles to reinvest in the shop and take a well-earned family holiday.
The programme was overseen by the North East BIC, with delivery led by Market Collective CIC. Its director, Racheal Straughan, says the aim was to make digital support accessible and practical for independent traders who may previously have felt overwhelmed by the technical language surrounding online marketing.
“People often talk about high streets as though they are disappearing,” she says. “But across Sunderland there are fantastic independent businesses run by passionate local people who are the heart of our neighbourhoods. When those businesses are equipped with the right digital tools, it helps them raise their profile and bring more people back into their shops and local high streets.”
Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, each participating business began with a digital audit before receiving tailored support. This ranged from website improvements and search engine optimisation to social media strategy, content planning and competitor analysis.
Alongside the practical support, the initiative has also helped strengthen connections between traders themselves. Out of the workshops grew Shop Talk, a monthly meet-up that has developed into a supportive network where local retailers can share ideas, challenges and experiences.
It’s a reminder that while digital tools can open new opportunities, the real strength of the high street still lies in people – the independent shopkeepers who know their customers, care about their communities and bring character to Sunderland’s neighbourhood shopping streets.
And if the early results from this initiative are anything to go by, many of the city’s “hidden gems” are not just surviving – they are finding new ways to shine.
The support from the BIC forms part of Enterprising Sunderland which has received £523,541 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, managed in Sunderland by Sunderland City Council on behalf of the Sunderland Partnership.
www.ne-bic.co.uk