Like it or not Christmas is rapidly approaching and local retailers are banding together to encourage people to shop locally.

The Bairnsdale Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) met yesterday after calling for interested retailers to discuss ways to help each other, just a week after the new BCCI committee was instated at its annual general meeting.

The group has hit the ground running with one of the first initiatives a Friday the 13th shopping promotion in December.

BCCI president, Jaime Savory, called for business owners to unite.

“I’ m a firm believer that you can’t complain if you’re not actively involved,” Ms Savory said.

“This is a great start to get the ball rolling, we need a collective voice and we need people to be active. We have a really good bunch of local business people here.”

BCCI vice president, Mark Hopley, is establishing a retailers’ sub-committee for Bairnsdale businesses.

“It was a positive meeting, people are looking forward to being a bit more involved,” Mr Hopley said.

“Things don’t seem to be booming in retail. The drought and a bit of a lack of consumer confidence are making things hard.

“But overall Bairnsdale has a good mix of smaller, independent retailers that really give the town a point of difference.”

The meeting had a lot of positive discussion and covered issues like online marketing, possibly as a united Bairnsdale group, illegal parking in front of businesses, as well as trying to encourage people to use the internet as a resource then to go in and give the local shop people a go.

“We need more people in our shops,” Graeme Reynolds, of the Chocky Sweet Box, said.

BCCI secretary, Megan Richardson, also mentioned the inaugural Local Giving Tree concept, which will run in conjunction with Sunrise Rotary.

“It’s about civic giving,” Megan said.

“Donated gifts will be collected and given to local families who need a boost after a tough year. We’ll have hampers distributed through local schools.”

Mr Hopley said the sub-committee would have five or six members, which would give feedback to BCCI.

Ms Savory said BCCI wanted to incorporate all the different pockets in town, including areas like the industrial area.

“Then we can go to council and even state government with one voice,” she said.

The next BCCI meeting will be held at The Stables on December 11, at 8am.

PICTURED: Members of the Bairnsdale Chamber of Commerce and Industry held an open meeting yesterday morning for interested retail business owners to discuss ideas to unify Bairnsdale businesses.