Consumer Editor Emma McKinney reports on a major campaign to attract shoppers back to Birmingham city centre following the August riots.

A MAJOR campaign has been launched today in a bid to restore consumer confidence in Birmingham shops in the wake of August’s riots.

Retailers across the city have been left counting the cost of the debacle, with looted shops facing hefty clean-up bills, stock losses and increased insurance premiums.

Stores that were not directly hit by the vandals have also been affected, as the disturbing scenes of vandalism have left shoppers fearful of visiting the city centre and parts of Birmingham.

It is believed the riots have cost the city’s retail industry at least £7 million, and in a bid to turn fortunes around, Birmingham City Council has today launched its “People Make Places” campaign.

The £310,000 initiative has been funded by the Government’s High Street Support Scheme, which was established to help cities affected by the riots.

Council chiefs hope it will also provide a much-needed shot-in-the-arm for businesses left struggling as the country battles to recover from the recession.

Central to the People Make Places campaign is the introduction of a free card, known as the B Card, which gives Birmingham residents special offers at participating independent businesses throughout October.

Dozens of stores have already signed up to the initiative, including shops in the city centre, Acocks Green, Alum Rock, Small Heath, Erdington, Handsworth, Lozells, Aston, Northfield, Perry Barr, Selly Oak, Sparkbrook, Springfield, Winson Green, Yardley, Moseley, Kings Heath, Harborne, Hay Mills, Cotteridge, Edgbaston, Hall Green, Hodge Hill, Stirchley and Sutton Coldfield.

Participating stores will display “Backing Birmingham” posters in their windows, and adverts featuring pictures of Brummies doing their shopping are currently hitting the city’s billboards and buses.

The campaign is also getting Birmingham’s young people involved, recruiting them to help promote the scheme and spread the word to retailers.

Coun Timothy Huxtable, the council’s cabinet member for transport, environment and regeneration, who launched the campaign, said: “It’s time to take pride in our communities, to make the most of our strengths and acknowledge that it’s the people of Birmingham who make these places special.