Kenilworth will be given its very own Santa this year as a part of a county-wide campaign to promote local businesses.

A local resident will be chosen as the local Father Christmas and will make a special gift list showcasing five businesses which best represent Kenilworth.

And an 'A to Z' will be made online to highlight local businesses and products for each letter of the alphabet to help advertise independent retailers across the region.

A business advent calendar will also reveal a quirky fact every day to highlight what makes Warwickshire great.

The town's Santa is part of the #Warksmas2021 social media campaign launched by Warwickshire County Council to encourage people to shop local.

Cllr Kam Kaur said: "Christmas is all about coming together, so it's a perfect time to support our region's local retailers and the very best they have to offer.

"Social media is now such an essential marketplace for all businesses and as a result the digital profile of a retailer is more important now than ever before."

This year follows a hugely successful Warksmas campaign in 2020 which reached 175,000 people; and generated 5,300 likes, comments and shares from 350 posts on Facebook and Twitter.

Cllr Kaur added: "Our campaign last year was a huge success and the fact our small businesses were able to reach 175,000 people – the size of Nuneaton, Leamington and Warwick combined – is testament to the power of social media.

"So whether you are a business owner or a shopper, please do get involved and join the conversation with the #Warksmas2021 hashtag."

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