A Northern Powerhouse partner has set up an online cyber weekend sale, exclusively for the North West, in a bid to stimulate its local economy during the pandemic.

GB Shared Ltd, a network of countywide platforms with an aim to centralise and share information and opportunities, has launched theshareshop.co.uk, in response to the plight of small businesses across the region desperate to operate and boost their sales before Christmas.

The online platform will encourage sales within the Northwest on the run up to Christmas, in the hope that as many businesses as possible will share their products online, whilst simultaneously encouraging as many people and businesses to redirect their Christmas spend into the North West region.

More than 100 buyers have already pledged their support, highlighting people’s desire to spend local.

CEO of GB Shared, Lisa Edge, said: "The North West has suffered hard during the 2020 pandemic as thousands of businesses were forced to close.

"We simply had to do something, our membership is vast across the region and includes public and private sectors, large, medium and small businesses, councils, colleges and chambers - we stand united in supporting our region.

"Far too many businesses are struggling and many more want to help support them, The Share Shop will help us facilitate that collaboration, and hopefully, send some much-needed sales in the direction of these businesses at Christmas."

GB Shared Ltd, is a network of countywide platforms, consisting of Lancashare, Mancheshare, Cumbriashare, Yorkshare and Merseyshare, and aims to centralise and ‘share’ information and opportunities within a county, to enable collaboration leading to the stimulation of local economies.

GB Shared launched its first sharing platform, Lancashare, on Lancashire Day 2016, with 100 percent of the content on its sites being business-led.

The sharing of local jobs, news, funding, tenders and connections has led to the creation of local supply chains, subsequently impacting carbon footprint and local unemployment.

The four-day sale launches on Black Friday, November 27.

Hundreds of local businesses are already involved, with products ranging from mobile phones and tablets to craft items, gift vouchers, getaways, cards and calendars.

People and businesses can pledge as a buyer or a seller right up until the sale launches on Friday November 27.

The sale will then run for four days until Cyber Monday on November 30.

Visit theshareshop.co.uk for more details.