Colour Thursday offers alternative to Black Friday

Amelia Black and her partner run The Tetbury Pet Shop

Independent shops on a town's high street are encouraging people to shop small and local to combat Black Friday's mass consumerism.

More than 30 shops in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, are taking part in 'Colour Thursday', by staying open late until 20:00 GMT and hosting special events in stores to showcase their products.

Amelia Black, co-owner of the Tetbury Pet Shop, said: "It's a push back, not against specific corporations but against the wastage that goes on in the industry around Black Friday."

It follows the creation of Colour Friday, set up nationally four years ago, to help redirect the billions of pounds spent on Christmas shopping towards independent businesses.

Ms Black said: "We have such a great high street in Tetbury and your high street is really the hub of the community.

"A lot of people love coming to a great high street for a day out and meet people, without a lovely high street people would really miss it, so supporting it is really important to keep everyone going."

She said that as well as opening late they are doing a spin the wheel to give customers the chance to get money off or win a prize for their pet.

Alison Figueiredo has been a Tetbury town councillor since March

A special trail map has been created to showcase all the stores opening late, created by local artist Brian Van Zyl.

Tetbury town councillor, Alison Figueiredo, helped set up the event.

"What we are trying to do is to really promote the high street because we have some fantastic independents here," she said.

"The high street offers a different experience to what internet Black Friday offers, you get a much more personal touch.

"It's about teaching people how to shop more mindfully as Black Friday does encourage that mass consumerism and a lot ends up in landfill."

Emma Moore makes all of the clothes for Dot and Doug in store

Emma Moore, owner of Dot and Doug, an environmentally friendly children's clothes company, said independents help the whole community.

Mrs Moore makes all the clothes instore with sustainable materials and stocks other sustainable brands.

"Independents are important because we are real people, there are people behind the small businesses, we are real, we have families and we shop in the community," she said.

Meghan Kinnison-Cook said it was great so many independents are working together to combat mass consumption

The event is also being supported by Meghan Kinnison-Cook, from the lifestyle store, Domestic Science.

She said: "It's about voting through your money on your values and being a bit more conscious of the products that you want to buy for Christmas.

"It can be tough to be an independent, knowing the bigger corporations get the crux of peoples spending but the reaction we've had to doing this campaign has been really good so far and people want to come out and support us."