‘Town is not too dear’ - Chamber

Their appeal comes as town centre traders were counting the cost of lost business due to a bomb scare last week.

In their statement the Chamber says it is keen to counter common misconceptions that local shopping is more expensive or offers less choice. “On the contrary, shopping locally can be very competitive, offers excellent customer service, while helping to keep our own communiti es vibrant and alive,” says Chamber President Raymond Ruck.said

“Ballymena is widely renowned as the best shopping town in Northern Ireland and has an excellent range of locally owned independent stores as well as the large retail chains.

“We also have an excellent range of goods and services offered by our villages within the Borough

Raymond concluded “Ballymena and all the villages are looking great in the run up to Christmas.

“Thousands come to the Borough to shop every year – these people recognise the quality, choice, service and value that we offer. Remember it is your Borough – we all can do our bit to ensure that it remains a great place to live, work and shop”.