Economy

The Municipality of Porto will help distressed local traders during Xmas business

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Miguel Nogueira

Rui Moreira, Mayor of Porto, announced on 30th November that the Municipality is preparing measures to support local traders in the Christmas business. Owing to the new coronavirus pandemic, local retailers are threatened by the sharp drop in sales. Also, this year the Municipality decided that no giant Xmas tree swill stand out in Avenida dos Aliados, and instead the amount will be destined to support the package of measures to help local retailers.

This support is being organised in partnership with the Association of Traders of Porto, and it includes discount vouchers, which can be redeemed by customers across all participating shops.

“We held several meetings with the Association of Traders of Porto, and we are assessing the best measures to help boost the local economy”, Mayor of Porto stated, in the day that the support to economic activities was approved unanimously and that represent a financial impact in the Municipality of circa 661 thousand euros (municipal fee exemption and additional reduction of 5% in property taxes).

Rui Moreira also stated that the first response is the Government’s, “because they have decided to adopt the Emergency State”, but the Mayor of Porto adds that the Municipality will do everything possible to help retailers in distress.

This will be a distressing time to all local business, as Xmas market will not be held and there will be less people in the streets, namely the city centre, and for many businesses the weeks before Christmas would be the most profitable of the entire year.

These measures, which are being prepared, are destined to help street trading spaces up to 250 square metres. The support package will be debated in the Executive meeting of 7th December. In addition, the Municipality will launch a campaign to raise awareness on the need to buy local and support street trading in Porto.