Shopping from home doesn’t have to be restricted to the big supermarkets – thanks to a new scheme – for supporting independent retailers – which has just arrived in Bath.
Called ‘Good Sixty’ it has literally pedalled into town – in time for an ethical Christmas – as it’s in partnership with the city’s eco delivery service, Three Bags Full.
Already working well down the road in Bristol, this is an online platform which enables users to get great food delivered from their local independent food retailers and artisan producers.
Customers simply enter the site, pop in their postcode and start shopping. They can purchase from a variety of retailers and producers in their area at once before picking a delivery slot that suits, then pay with a single check-out. As the shops are local there’s no need for diesel guzzling vans and groceries are delivered via eco-friendly cargo-bikes.
Good Sixty is now available in Bath, in partnership with Bath’s eco delivery service, Three Bags Full. To encourage customers to give this exciting new ethical grocery service a go, all customers will receive £5 off their first order.
A grant from Travelwest enabled Good Sixty to buy state of the art zero-emissions cargo-bikes
With a growing number of Bath’s best retailers already listed on the site, the breadth of choice and quality of products on offer is world class. Whether you want your veg from Luke at Chelsea Road Greengrocers, your Hobbs House Bakery bread from Goodies or a Somerset cheese board from Stephane at Nibbles, it can arrive with you by bike, with just one ‘click’. You can even order authentic French dishes from Brigitte and Christophe at Ma Cuisine or some cold brew coffee from Far Side, and soon the site will be well stocked-up for Christmas. As well as all the festive essentials, there will be a great range of gift ideas, so you can ‘shop local’ when giving this Christmas too.
Peter of Larkhall Butchers is just one of Good Sixty’s Local High Street Heroes
Good Sixty was created in Bristol by Chris Edwards who cares passionately about his local high street (Bristol’s Gloucester Road) but realised that its diversity was increasingly threatened by big, national retailers. Since launch at the end of 2016, Good Sixty has steadily built up a loyal community of retailers and shoppers who love the many benefits that the site has to offer.
The retailers are reaping the rewards of the additional revenue stream which Good Sixty provides, while shoppers are enjoying that the convenience of having groceries from their local, independent shops delivered to their door.
As well as the obvious ethical advantages such as helping local businesses thrive, Good Sixty customers also comment on the significant decrease in packaging they receive when compared to similar purchases from a supermarket. And as Bath is one of 28 local authorities who have been ordered by the Government to reduce harmful levels of NO2 in the shortest possible time, the zero-emissions last mile delivery alternative that Good Sixty and Three Bags Full bring together is so timely.
Three Bags Full’s key mission is help tackle the twin problems of air pollution and congestion that blight Bath.
After such a good reception to Good Sixty in Bristol, Chris knew that coming to Bath would be the natural next step for his business. With this in mind, Chris launched a fundraising campaign on Crowdcube earlier this year. It exceeded all expectations, raising 125% of the target. This was thanks to the support of ethical investors and individuals in Bristol and Bath who understood the importance of supporting local retailers as supermarkets and large online retailers try to lure consumers away from their local high street. Forming a partnership with Bath’s ethical courier service, Three Bags Full led to a mutually beneficial relationship, allowing both businesses to expand in the area, making a zero-emissions last mile delivery alternative more accessible than ever.
Good Sixty Co-Founder, Chris Edwards says,
“I’m amazed by the amount of great independent shops and small-scale producers in Bath and I know many residents want to ‘shop local’ but simply don’t have the time to get to each separate shop or hunt out local, specialist producers. Good Sixty is the answer, allowing people to browse and buy from Bath’s best indies, at their convenience, in every sense of the word”
“And the service we provide is also an essential tool for small food businesses in this digital age, helping Bath’s retailers and producers share their passion, reach new customers and therefore compete with the ‘Big Guys’. Consumer demand for better, ethical, convenient food is at an all-time high and it has been proven time and again: shopping locally has a positive impact on our neighbourhoods, ploughing money back into the local economy and strengthening communities.”
Browse and buy locally at www.goodsixty.co.uk. Follow @GoodSixty on Instagram or Twitter.
*Because ‘Every pound you spend with a local independent store, café or producer has a 60% greater benefit to your local community than spending it with a large supermarket’.
