Latest News | 17 November 2020
Swap Shop goes national
A venture formed by HUUB, Ask the Chameleon and think3 during the height of the first coronavirus lockdown to allow firms to “swap” goods and services is to go national.
Derby Swap Shop was launched by Rachel Hayward, of bid-writing consultancy Ask the Chameleon, Dean Jackson, boss of triathlon kit specialist HUUB and creative and design agency think3.
It came from an idea floated on a Marketing Derby Talking Business Live webinar back in April by Tracy Harrison at Safe and Sound and a subsequent discussion among the Bondholder business community.
The free-to-use online platform aimed to support hard-up small businesses and charities who were being hit hard by the coronavirus lockdown.
It borrowed the concept from the popular 1970s children’s television show Multi-coloured Swap Shop, where if one person needed something, they would offer up an exchange.
The concept has been a great success in Derby and has since been rolled out to the wider East Midlands, with the Launch of the Nottingham Swap Shop and Leicester Swap Shop.
Now, the Swap Shop concept is to go national, following interest from towns, cities and counties across the country.
Lee Marples, one of the directors at think3, said: “Six months ago we unleashed Derby Swap Shop.
“It was a simple concept – you needed support, asked for it and in return offered something.
“As a new business ourselves, we knew the support needed to get started, none more so than this year.
“Since we launched during the first lockdown, we’ve added Notts Swap Shop and Leicester Swap Shop to the local family.
“We’ve had interest from across the country about rolling something similar out in Birmingham, Kent, Sheffield, Peterborough and Northampton.
“For lockdown two it’s on its way! With The Swap Shop coming very soon it’s going to open up a world of new possibilities across the country.”
The national Swap Shop website can be found here.
