No white flag of surrender for West End traders

West End business owners, at the far end of Montague Street, and Rowlands Road, in Worthing, have flown large Sussex flags outside their shops, in an attempt to entice shoppers.

A total of 18 businesses so far have paid the nominal fee of £10 to install a flag, which were put up on Tuesday.

The idea was started by Sheila Moore, of Secondhand Moore, in Rowlands Road.

She said: “It’s really just to get the street a bit more noticed. We now have 18 flags fluttering down the street.”

Sheila said her business has been doing well in recent weeks, but felt the street as a whole needed to do more.

She said: “Before, we didn’t have anything outside our shops, but now, hopefully people will stop and look.”

The business owners, who are part of the West End Traders’ Association, are pioneering a number of small ideas to boost awareness.

In recent weeks, they took part in the ‘Wipe Up’, where they took half an hour before opening at the weekend to spruce up the pavements outside their shops.

Diane Guest, of the Sandwitch Bar, said the beauty of it was its simplicity.

She said: “It costs just ten pounds for the flag and fitting, which we are fitting ourselves. It’s not expensive, and hopefully it will grab people’s attention when they’re walking up Montague Street.

“We are taking responsibility, and I think customers are proud to see it.”

Gill Skilling, co-owner of G&T Dress Agency, added: “We do feel a bit left out sometimes, as we’re away from the town centre.

“We set-up our business here because we need the parking spaces, which the town centre doesn’t have.

“Trade is a bit quiet at the moment, but a lot of people are away on holiday at the moment, so we’re confident it will pick up soon.”