In response to the “Ventnor is open” campaign, two Ventnor residents have launched Ventnor Local ahead of plan – a website to help promote the town’s shops, restaurants and businesses.
Husband and wife Ventnor residents, Richard Taylor and Vikki Fox, have launched the not-for-profit online directory dedicated to promoting Ventnor’s businesses.
One stop shop
Aimed at locals and visitors alike, provides important information on the wonderful local businesses in a clear, attractive and easy to use way.
Every Ventnor-based business will in time have the opportunity to have their own page showcasing what they do, their opening hours, social media and website links, and their contact details. Each listing will also include a small gallery of images and a Google map.
Taylor: We are well placed to provide this website for our town
Richard explained,
“We’re passionate about Ventnor, its businesses and community – we’ve been welcomed with open arms and we want to be able to give back to the town we call home. As a designer and IT consultant duo we are well placed to provide this website for our town.
“We’re committed to keeping this essential level of information free forever for all the businesses. Clearly it will need some income to pay its costs, but we’ll need to see how it’s used before we can explore options. So Vikki and I will fund the website’s running costs ourselves for at least two years to ensure that it can grow and flourish.”
Fox: One website that lists everyone here
Vikki said,
“We want this to be a go-to website, which locals and visitors to Ventnor can use to find all the fabulous shops, eateries and businesses that exist here. No searching on Google and finding ‘serves Ventnor’ businesses, just one website that lists everyone here, whether you’re a small home-based business or a prominent restaurant.
“Although we have lived in Ventnor for a few years, in sowing the seeds for this project, we have discovered so many businesses that we were previously unaware of. This must be the case for other locals too, so I hope that our website will encourage more people to think local and spend their money within Ventnor.”
We will add you as quickly as possible
Vikki added,
“If you have a PO381 business address, and are keen to be listed, please contact us via the Contact Form on the Ventnor Local site.
“You may already be on our to-do list, but we will add you as quickly as possible.”
120 businesses listed, and growing
The project was conceived in summer 2023 and the development started earlier this year. The plan was to go live with as complete a list of the businesses in the PO381 postcode area as possible.
However, in the light of all the recent social media energy wanting to promote Ventnor, particularly in light of the Leeson Road closure, along with challenging local market conditions, the site has been published early.
Richard said,
“We have over 150 businesses listed so far, with a to-do list still to work through.
“It’s an ongoing project but we decided it was more important to get it out there and people using it, rather than wait until it was perfect.”
A resource for all of our Ventnor community
The website is not just a directory of businesses, as it includes useful information for the local community.
Vikki explained,
“We see our website as being more than just a business directory. We want it to be a resource for everyone. Under the ‘Community’ category we have listed local clubs and groups, the library, sports teams, warm spaces and food banks.
“We have no intention to be a replacement for Ventnor’s Town Council’s directory of essential services, but wanted to highlight anything that’s useful to our community.”
How to get listed
If you have a PO381 business, shop, restaurant, group, sports club, and are keen to be listed, please contact Ventnor Local via the Contact Form on the website.
There is also an ‘Add my business’ link at the top. Vikki will move you to the top of the list and prioritise you.
Richard and Vikki are keen to work with the local council, media outlets and community organisations for this to be a resource for everyone.
News shared by Vikki and Richard on behalf of Ventnor Local. Ed
