Register your interest to be part of the Borough of Southend-on-Sea's first independent online shopping website

We believe that independent shops and businesses are the lifeblood of our borough. We also believe the future of independent high streets and retail areas is a combination of bricks and mortar businesses with a strong online presence.

We were excited to meet with the guys at Totally Locally recently. They are an award winning not-for-profit organisation that has spread across the world (including Leigh-on-Sea). Their message over the past 11 years has been simple - support your local independent businesses. Walk past the big chains, spend something with the small guys, keep tills ringing and towns thriving.

They’ve recently been developing the ‘Local Independent High Streets Online’ project. Town based websites that bring together their independent businesses, all in one place. Customers can buy products from multiple local businesses, choose click & collect or delivery and pay in one go at the checkout. This one stop shop allows people to discover more of their local independent businesses and the business owner has the option of allowing them to click and collect their orders, select postal delivery or simply head to a business’s existing website to learn more about them.

This is where we need your help. If we get enough independent business from across Southend-on-Sea interested, they will set up a website for us which represents the vibrant independent retail scene across our borough. Each business will get a secure, bespoke online shop. Shoppers can choose to support their town by visiting, browsing and buying from multiple shops and businesses in the place they live. It’s a virtual high street open 24 hours a day!

At this stage, we want to see who's interested, no commitment. Like putting your hand up and saying "Looks interesting, I’d like to know more"

You will need to be an independent business and have a registered business address in the Borough of Southend-on-Sea, namely SS0, SS1, SS2, SS3 and SS9.

If that's you, just complete the short form here and we'll be in touch.

The question of cost?

We are currently looking at ways to subsidise the cost to be part of the site at this time. However, the cost currently will be just £3 per week. There is no contract, you can leave at any time. Unlike other sites, they take no percentage % of your sales. You just pay a monthly fee and the standard Stripe costs per order (1.4% + 20p) on sales made on the site.

'We?' Who are the representatives from retail and businesses and key stakeholders, behind this?

Project Southchurch, Leigh-on-Sea Partnership, Hamlet Court Road Shops, Southend BID, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Economic Development Team and Leisure & Tourism Partnership, Leigh-on-Sea Town Council, Hamlet Court Conservation Forum, Hamlet Court Road in Harmony, Shoeburyness & Thorpe Bay Baptist Church Chaplaincy, About Communciations, Leigh-on-Sea Independent Traders Association (LOSITA), Leigh Road Baptist Church Community Volunteers, Love Leigh Road, Totally Locally Leigh-on-Sea.