Dubbo Regional Council, Wellington Business Chamber want to start buy local campaign

The Wellington Business Chamber is calling for Dubbo Regional Council to start a buy local campaign in the lead up to Christmas.

According to council, consumer spending in Wellington has fallen by 6.2 per cent, when looking at this financial year compared to last.

Dubbo Regional mayor Ben Shields has given his support to the campaign.

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He said the data showed council needed to look at ways to increase spending in Wellington and bring back consumer confidence.

"There's no doubt that Wellington in my mind has befitted from the merger of Dubbo City Council to become Dubbo Regional Council. There's no doubt about that. There is an optimism in the air that everything is looking better," Cr Shields said.

"However, we can do better in Wellington if we were to work out ways to get more people, particularly locals in Wellington, but also other people from outside Wellington, to consider doing more shopping and spending more dollars in the Wellington township."

In a letter to council, Chamber secretary Jessica Gough said the buy local campaign would give the town's retail sector a 'much-needed boost'.

"Recent drought and competition from retailers from other towns and cities have challenged the Wellington retail industry," she said.

"This, along with the ever-mounting pressure of e-commerce retailers is causing a huge flow of money to leave Wellington."

Ms Gough said an advertising and promotion campaign would encourage residents to keep their money local, while showcasing what Wellington had to offer to a wider audience.

Similar campaigns have already been held in Dubbo, such as Smile, it's Christmas.

The yearly promotion encourages shoppers to buy their gifts in the CBD for the opportunity to win prizes from being in the participating stores or money back on their purchases.

But Cr Shields said Wellington needed its own promotion.

The mayor said he was confident the sector could be given a boost thanks to whatever the "marketing geniuses" came up with.

Representatives from Dubbo Regional Council will meet with the Wellington Business Chamber to determine the best way to run a buy local campaign for Christmas.