Businesses show they’re Penrith Proud

Council and business groups urge support of local business in a new campaign launched thisweek.

The Penrith Proud campaign was officially launched on 24 November to promote the benefits of buying local, celebrating many of the unique businesses that can be found in Penrith City.

Speaking at the launch, Penrith Mayor Karen McKeown OAM said the Penrith economy is underpinned by nearly 15,000 businesses – 96% of those are small businesses - who have been hard hit by the impacts of COVID-19.

“Keeping these businesses viable means our local jobs, services and facilities will still be around long after the pandemic,” Cr McKeown said.

“Each and every one of us living in Penrith City can make a difference by choosing local when making our daily purchasing decisions. Buy that coffee, try that hair salon, buy your Christmas presents from our independent retailers and if you’re in business, source materials from local suppliers and use local tradespeople when you can.”

The campaign will feature a dedicated website with a local business directory. Businesses can sign up to be featured on the directory and obtain marketing assets to show they’re a Penrith Proud business.

Penrith Proud is an initiative of the Penrith Rising Strong Recovery Plan which Council adopted in September. The Recovery Plan was developed by the Social and Economic Recovery Taskforces that Council established in May to coordinate Penrith City’s recovery from the impacts of COVID-19.

The Economic Recovery Taskforce membership includes representatives of local CBD and Town Centre Corporations; the Chamber of Commerce; cultural, sporting and educational institutions; prominent businesses, franchises and service providers. One of the goals set out in the 30-day and 100-day recovery plan is to promote and encourage the support of local businesses.

Taskforce member, Phil Willey, franchisee of Quest Penrith, said the Penrith Proud campaign extended on the goodwill shown during COVID by local residents and provided a real opportunity for the community to show their support for local businesses and employers. His business continues to be significantly impacted by COVID-19 and associated restrictions on travel and cancellation of events.

“In the tough times, it’s the support of our customers and the dedication of our staff that has enabled so many businesses to keep the doors open and operating – being Penrith Proud is a rallying cry to our community to keep that going. And for businesses like ours, a reminder to support other local businesses whenever we can,” Mr Willey said.

For more information on the Penrith Proud campaign, including how to register your business, head to the website. You can also follow the progress of the campaign on Facebook and Instagram.

Image: Penrith Mayor Karen McKeown OAM, launched the Penrith Proud campaign in Penrith’s CBD on 24 November 2020. From left to right: Gai Hawthorn CBD Corporation, Sue Fryer St Marys Town Centre, Mayor Karen McKeown OAM, Andrew Grima Coleman Greig Lawyers, Phil Willey Quest Apartments Penrith, Debbie O'Connor The Creative Fringe, and Simon Gould Orbit Marketing.