The BikeBiz trade website has announced that; “The Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) is to spend £100 000 on a marketing/advertising campaign to encourage people to get back on the footpaths and bridleways.”
Outdoor retailers and suppliers are saying that they have lost over £50 million in trade to the foot and mouth access closures. Now they have asked the government to match the £100,000 they are investing in an ad campaign to encourage people back to the trails.
Although trade has slowly increased through June, many outdoor shops and large areas of the countryside are still deserted, even where restrictions have been almost completely lifted. The OIA plan to get people back out there with a combined advertising and marketing campaign but are looking to DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) for additional funding to help ease the problems.
Meanwhile, Dartmoor and the Forest of Dean are now largely open while North Yorkshire is still reporting fresh outbreaks and remains almost completely closed.