Google is to send a taskforce of experts into hundreds of high street stores to help Britain’s businesses to grow.
Winners of the Great British High Street Competition 2015 – sponsored by Boots, the Post Office, Costa and M&S – will be given training on how to make the most of their digital skills to attract new customers.
One hundred shops, bars and restaurants in each of the competition’s seven winning categories will get tailor-made tips from Google’s training taskforce – the Digital Garage on Tour.
The competition boost takes the GB High Street prize pot to £80,000 and was welcomed by High Streets Minister Marcus Jones.
He said: “This is an amazing offer. Shops, bars and restaurants will get some of the best in the business to review and improve their digital skills which can be so crucial in helping our high streets to thrive. High streets are a vital part of the fabric of Britain – providing great spaces for friends and family to meet and socialise, powering the retail sector and supporting thousands of jobs.
“We want to recognise and celebrate the best high streets across the country. That’s why I’m delighted to announce this new prize to help hundreds of high street retailers innovate and grab the opportunity to not just be great physical businesses but also great digital businesses too.”
The Digital Garage on Tour is a workshop which includes sessions for businesses on finding and keeping customers online and the chance to have one-to-one consultations with Google specialists to chat through their businesses digital needs.
Eileen Naughton, Google’s managing director for the UK and Ireland, said: “Small businesses with a strong web presence grow more than twice as quickly as those without, but while many retailers and businesses know the importance of being online, getting beyond a basic website can seem tricky.
“That’s why we’re sharing our knowledge and expertise by bringing The Digital Garage on Tour to Great British High Street winners, ensuring everyone gets the digital skills they need so that being online is a real growth engine for businesses.”
The first Great British High Street competition last year saw 135 communities battle it out to be crowned the nation’s best. Belper in Derbyshire emerged as the overall winner.
This year’s competition – which runs until 1 September – gives towns, cities and villages the chance to celebrate how they are helping to revitalise Britain’s high streets. For the first time the public will also have the chance to vote directly for their best-loved high street online.
