A PROMINENT Largs businesswoman has praised the town for rallying around local companies and putting the future of the high street first.

Rosemary Giovino set up the ‘Largs Shopping’ Facebook page in June to allow firms to promote themselves and create a virtual shopfront for the town.

The owner of Little Threads says the scheme has been a success - but is encouraging more businesses to get involved online.

She said: “There are a few of the businesses that use it on a daily basis just to get more exposure, so that is quite good.

“It would be better if all the businesses in the town used it but having said that, some don’t use online as much as others.

“It’s certainly working and it could always grow further."

The recent togetherness has contributed to the success of the new weekly markets in the town centre, which Rosemary says have been encouraging.

She added: “I’m the secretary of the Largs Events Committee and the feedback from stallholders and visitors has been fantastic.

“They say this is the first time local businesses have worked together for a very long time.

“I’ve had loads of people in the shop who have come specifically for the market and they spend the day here, so that’s a huge bonus.

"It's a good old fashioned way to show that local businesses can be cheaper than online - and I think a lot of locals and visitors are starting to realise that.”

However, the business owner is clear that the threat from the virus has not gone away and the regulations continue to have some negative impacts on trading.

Rosemary explained: “The social distancing remains an issue. I’ve got a very small shop and I’ve restricted numbers to be safe.

“Browsing has definitely gone. If you go to a shop and are told to wait in a queue, people just go away.

“It has affected businesses, but local traders have gone out their way to make sure the shopping experience for customers is still good.

“The Largs businesses are really doing their best and going above and beyond.”

Rosemary is hopeful that Largs can be a safe place for visitors to come in the next few months - if all businesses play their part.

She said: “People are looking to escape the bigger towns and cities.

“We are all treading a fine line, because although we want visitors to support local businesses, we are all still very wary of the virus.

“However, if each business practices and follows the rules then we will be able to manage that risk and keep everyone safe.”

The weekly market continues every Saturday from 10am to 4pm in Gallowgate Square.