An Ipswich boutique owner is encouraging other small businesses to brighten their window displays to lift shoppers' spirits as the high street emerges from its lockdown slumber.
Mandy Errington owns DJV Boutique in cox Lane and was inspired to dress her window displays as part of an effort to welcome shoppers back into town after over three months of closure.
"I had a few ideas during lockdown of what I could do as an independent business to stimulate our customers," she said.
"I didn't want to just arrive and turn the sign around from closed to open — I wanted vibrancy, colours and something to reflect the feeling of spring and summer being on the way.
"I really consider my business as part of the community and so I used local designers and printers to create a bright window display with the message 'awaken your style senses'."
Mandy worked with local businesses Kovic Design and Nexus Creative Print Production on the display and hired flowers through Giant Gestures.
Mandy's boutique window now features an array of colourful clothes, large sunflowers and rainbow messages.
She said everyone who's walked past so far has had a smile on their face and is urging other shops to do the same.
Though queues for Primark and Debenhams have stretched along the high street, smaller businesses haven't seen the same flood of customers returning.
This newspaper led a campaign to #shoplocal during the past year and while Mandy believes the community do value small businesses, she thinks more effort needs to be made to change habits.
"Everyone is rushing to the big stores after the reopening's but like they say, if you don't use us you'll lose us," she added.
"People come to smaller businesses for that special touch and exclusivity, which you just don't get in a larger store.
"We need to put the effort in now and hopefully lift people's spirits when they walk into the shop."
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