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Retailers in city centres and transient locations are seeing a drop in footfall as customers listen to government advice to stay at home

The Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN) has launched a Covid-19 hardship fund for struggling members.

The NFRN has called the new fund a “lifeline” offering financial help to those retailers suffering “significant hardship” as a result of the country’s fight against the coronavirus.

It comes as retailers in city centre or transient locations are seeing a drop in footfall as customers listen to government advice to stay at home.

A small team of officials, led by NFRN vice president Muntazir Dipoti, are considering applications for the aid.

The introduction of this financial help follows the extension of the federation’s ‘Shop local Shop Little’ campaign.

A series of social and national media advertisements will include the straplines ‘Every Morning Is A Sunday Morning’, ‘Every Day Is A Home Movie Day’ and ‘Let’s Make Sure Everyone Has Enough. Don’t Bulk Buy’.

“The impact of Covid-19 on the lives and businesses of some independent retailers has been unprecedented,” said NFRN national president Stuart Reddish. “We are acutely aware that some members are facing significant day-to-day financial challenges and that the help and support that we already provide to them needs to be boosted. We have, therefore, created a fund to alleviate the worries that independent retailers are experiencing as footfall in their shops drop and as their bills mount.”