Buy local – that is the message from Bournemouth Coastal BID, which is urging people across its seven ‘villages’ to check whether businesses are selling online before clicking on Amazon.

Many retailers as well as pubs, restaurants and others can take orders online, via text, through Messenger and in various other ways.

Without customers many of them could fail, and the run-up to Christmas is when they make much of their annual income.

The BID’s ‘villages’ are Tuckton, Pokesdown, Southbourne, Boscombe, Seafront, East Cliff and West Cliff and Westbourne.

Fiona McAthur, the BID manager, said, “We know how valuable businesses are to people, and we’re urging locals to support them.

“You’d be surprised how many businesses can now supply their goods via orders received remotely.

“If you usually shop at a small business we’d urge you to see if they are still trading through the lockdown.

“It is in all our interests to support local businesses because they form such an important part of our communities.

“It’s a case of ‘buy local, or bye local’. Experience learned during the first lockdown has prepared businesses for the latest one and they are calling for everyone’s custom.

“Every business struggling employs people and they all have families dependent on them being viable.

“Our communities are wonderful and I fully expect them to rally and support their businesses.”