EFFORTS to sustain businesses in Alloa under recent coronavirus restrictions could be boosted by a new online shop.

Alloa First, the town's business improvement district, is looking at ways to help businesses survive during the latest lockdown and beyond.

Diane Brown, project manager, told the Advertiser that the new digital initiative is just one of the ways to support local businesses who don't have an online presence.

It is hoped that a soft launch may take place later this month, amid an ongoing appeal to encourage Clacks residents to shop local.

She said: "We aren't quite ready to launch it yet, but we were awarded funding from the Scottish Towns Partnership – on behalf of the Scottish Government – to create an online shop for Alloa.

"It means that any business which doesn't have a facility to sell online, we will provide that for them through a local delivery service throughout Clackmannanshire. We want to have that up and running as soon as possible.

"It means that local businesses can be supported online before they can re-open and restrictions ease.

"Even if businesses are closed, they can leave reviews online, buy vouchers and more, and I'd like to stress that.

"Anyone with appointments, I would encourage them to re-arrange it rather than cancel. Businesses may not know if people are going to re-book or not, so having that assurance there could help them."

While the new restrictions came as a blow for the town centre, it is unlikely to be as disruptive this time around with greater resiliency in place.

Diane added: "This lockdown has a different vibe than last time around.

"Businesses don't have as much desperation as they did during the first lockdown when they didn't know what was going to happen and where funding was going to come from.

"I think they now know where to go to access that support and have a better understanding of what's to come and when they may be able to re-open.

"Some businesses are still open and managing to trade safely with the current restrictions in place.

"The big thing for us is working on how we can support them until restrictions are lifted, and how can we encourage people to shop locally and get back to the town centre when more businesses can open again.

"We're really keen on encouraging people to think locally before heading out of Alloa."

Changing the perception of Alloa is another key message that Alloa First wants to send out.

Diane said: "People say, 'There's nothing in Alloa', but there's far more than we're given credit for.

"We have two great butchers; a deli, clothes shops, charity shops with great products, a fresh fish shop, we've got so many great local businesses. There is more than enough in Alloa for people to come and shop here.

"Even before Covid, we've been trying to work hard to change the perception of Alloa as there's way more than people think there is."