TRADERS in Okehampton are welcoming people to town to spend money during the Totally Locally Fiver Fest, which begins today (Monday) and continues until June 26.

Independent traders and eateries in Okehampton are offering deals for £5.

Organiser Rebecca Green, from Totally Locally Okehampton said this was the first time that the nationwide Fiver Fest initiative had been held in Okehampton. It is being run by businesses themselves as part of the new Totally Locally Okehampton group.

Rebecca said: ‘I think it is the right time to hold this, because people have been really good at supporting local businesses over the past year. This is a way of being able to say thank you for that, and we are working together to put on things like Fiver Fest and lots of other things throughout the year.

‘It is also about supporting the business owners. It is not going to cost any money because there are no membership fees. It is about supporting each other.

‘Everybody has been on their own for the past year, we haven’t been able to meet or pop in. Now all of a sudden we can and we are using this opportunity to do something postive.’

She added: ‘Town centres are changing. They are becoming more about hospitality and independent businesses so we want to put Okehampton on the map, not just locally but nationally too. This is a town that is full of independent businesses. They are all local families. When you come to shop here, your money is supporting people in the town who are then using that to support other businesses.

‘In my café I’m going to a local farmer for my milk and a local farmer for my meat and for my printing I use a local printer too. I’m really impressed to see the businesses working together. The good thing about Totally Locally is that it breaks down barriers.’

For more information go to the Totally Locally Okehampton Facebook page.