A VIRTUAL shopping mall has been launched to help advertise small businesses in March as part of a new campaign urging Fenland to ‘Shop Local First’.

March Chamber of Commerce has kickstarted the initiative in an effort to ease the economic worries of the town’s businesses as purse strings tighten.

At the centre of the campaign is a new website - www.shopsinmarch.co.uk - which lists the products and services available in the town and is described as the “doorway to a virtual shopping mall”.

The March Chamber said the scheme was necessary to help small businesses which are “the life blood of the town centre”.

They said that shopping locally offered savings in travel and parking costs, as well as supporting Fenland’s businesses and preserving local jobs.

To help launch the initiative the Chamber has organised a competition to win �100 in shopping vouchers.

Five participating stores have put up a picture of a treasure chest with a number on it. Entrants should link all five numbers to the corresponding shops on the entry form and hand it in to one of the stores.

Entry forms can be filled in online at www.shopsinmarch.co.uk or they can be obtained, along with more details of the scheme, from Nigel Coley, President of March Chamber of Commerce, on 01354 653393.