The directory has been designed by Allerdale Borough Council to ensure all businesses in the area have the opportunity to be recognised by as many people as possible. 

The Council - who are hosting the directory on their Visit Allerdale website - wants to highlight local businesses to both visitors and residents, encouraging them to use the directory as a ‘one-stop shop’. 

The idea is to encourage more customers to local shops and services and make people aware of how much the region has to offer. 

Each business can assign themselves to a relevant category for easy use, using a very simple online form at https://visitallerdale.co.uk/add-your-business/. 

The form asks each business a few questions, upload images and relevant links and, once checked and approved, details will be published and instantly visible on the Visit Allerdale website at https://visitallerdale.co.uk/allerdale-business-directory/. 

Cllr Mike Johnson said: "Supporting businesses is a key part of our council strategy and we hope this new directory will help businesses come through these challenging times and support them beyond the pandemic. We know this type of content is well-received on our Visit Allerdale site as the directory will build on the success of our virtual Christmas market which had more than 2,000 visits in just seven days over the festive period and became the most-read page on the website." 

The information will also be linked to Copeland Borough Council's business index and vice versa. This is part of our detailed economic recovery plan which aims to support our local businesses recover from recent difficulties, thrive and move forward in the future. For any questions or queries, please email ellie.jones@allerdale.gov.uk.