Thanet Virtual High Street is moving into the ‘real world’ this evening (June 23) by holding its first, face-to-face networking event.
The High Street was created last July to help independent businesses continue to trade through the covid lockdown. It was set up by charity sector worker Karen Brinkman while she was furloughed from her role.
The idea was an instant hit and now boasts some 5,000 facebook members and 250 businesses registered to the website’s online directory giving small businesses the opportunity to share their goods and services.
The event this evening, from 6pm, is being staged in the gardens of THVS registered venue The Rodney Pub, Garlinge.
Singer Kelly Richardson, who is also a TVHS member, will be providing entertainment. The event is open to all local businesses whether already registered on the TVHS website or looking to find out more.
The website also hosts a members only area where businesses can offer or find discounts from fellow website businesses encouraging them to support each other.
Karen said: “We have created TVHS digital business card fobs for all website members which will give potential customers all their contact details and social media links.
“Since starting in July last year we have staged many TVHS events and collaborations despite the difficult circumstances, including a wedding fair, two day Spring Fair, three day Broadstairs Fair, Christmas events and lots more in the pipeline.
“We will continue to offer TVHS members 24 hour priority booking to all our events but we are about to launch an exciting TVHS subsidiary. We are regularly being asked to help to find stalls by other promoters and we need a quick and effective way to get this information out to everybody.
“We will do this by creating the Thanet Stalls Directory. Local businesses will be able to join the list and event organisers will contact us to get their message out. There will be a yearly subscription for stalls but the good news is, TVHS website members will be able to join free.”