Ashby Fiver Fest is returning - and the organisers say it is more important now than ever.

Fiver Fest will run for a fortnight from October 10 - this Saturday - until the 24th.

It is the second time it has been run in Ashby following its February outing - and around 30 shops and businesses are due to take part in the event.

How it works is that independent businesses provide special offers for £5 to encourage people to use their high street and to say thank you to the public for their support.

The October event is more low key due to the coronavirus pandemic - but Ashby organiser Ashton Fairweather says your local town centre has made a comeback since lockdown was introduced in March.

Ashton is an NHS worker at Derby hospital but also helps run the Ashby Toolbox hardware store in Coxon Mews.

And she says more people are turning to shops on their own doorstep with a number nearby cities hit by rising coronavirus cases.

Ashton said: "Fiver Fest is all about supporting your local high street.

"It isn't just Ashby, it'll be all over the country and Totally Locally, the company organising it, says that a big percentage of people, from their own research, are using their high street more since the pandemic started.

"It's building and this is all about carrying that on now.

"But while it's all about trying to get people to spend money on the high street to keep our high streets, it's nice that this a way for those businesses to say thank you for sticking by us and 'Here's a great offer for you'.

"These days, people seem to find it a bit safer to shop with a small business, where there might only be a couple of people inside, than go to a large supermarket."

Ashton says she has seen first hand at Ashby Toolbox how people have been shopping local.

She added: "A lot of people have found that the smaller, independent shops, have been a lot more reliable than some national companies.

"We've been able to get hold of stock a bit easier. Here, people have been able to call in and get a more personal service.

'It's been quite nice, we've been very busy as a lot of people have been doing DIY during lockdown. We've been the busiest we've ever been since March.

"And a lot of people are coming back to us, whereas at first, it was out of necessity as they were bored. Now they're repeat customers."

Now Ashton hopes that trend will repeat across the rest of Ashby.

She added: "Ashby is unique like that, you don't get many towns like that any more where the bast majority are independents. And it'd be sad if, in a year or so's time, Ashby didn't look like that.

"Fiver Fest as a celebration of Ashby and all of the independent businesses there.

"Thirty businesses have come together to provide special offers for just £5, during Fiver Fest Fortnight.

"Those taking part have said they are excited to have this opportunity to thank their customers for their loyalty and support, particularly in such a difficult year.

"In Ashby, we are fortunate to have such a variety of independent shops, cafes and bars, so come and show them your support, and get yourself a few bargains for a fiver whilst you're at it!"

"For more details, and to see the range of £5 deals on offer, please follow @fiverfestashby on Facebook and Instagram."

Here are the shops and businesses from Ashby taking part:

•Aeternum Aesthetics WEBSITE

•Anubis Piercings WEBSITE

•Ashby Market Café FACEBOOK PAGE

•Ashby Toolbox WEBSITE

•Blue Little Birdie WEBSITE

•Brides of Ashby WEBSITE

•Classic Cuts FACEBOOK PAGE

•Dolce Café FACEBOOK PAGE

•Equestriana WEBSITE

•Fair2All WEBSITE

•Gloss Interiors WEBSITE

•Hammond's FACEBOOK PAGE

•Indivijilly Nails FACEBOOK PAGE

•La Zouch Tanning WEBSITE

•Louby Lou's WEBSITE

•No.10 FACEBOOK PAGE

•NoAmi FACEBOOK PAGE

•North's Deli FACEBOOK PAGE

•Owen Jones WEBSITE

•Pet Deli WEBSITE

•Rose Cottage Tea Rooms WEBSITE

•Sew Your Own Wardrobe WEBSITE

•Suzy Q's Café WEBSITE

•Sweet Memory Lane WEBSITE

•The Card Cottage WEBSITE

•The Grooming Room WEBSITE

•The Health Workshop WEBSITE

•The Lamb FACEBOOK PAGE

•The Temple Hair and Beauty Spa WEBSITE

•The Vine WEBSITE

•Verity's Nail Creations, Hair and Beauty WEBSITE

•W. Taylor Butchers FACEBOOK PAGE

Fiver Fest is a free to join campaign, devised and run by Totally Locally, a grass roots high street organisation that has been helping businesses to help themselves since 2010 with incredible results.

For this Fiver Fest, Totally Locally is partnering with Visa to encourage even more small business owners to sign up to this celebration of independent high streets.

Together, they are also calling on consumers to divert £5 of their weekly spend to support the small businesses in their communities.

Fiver Fest is based around the now famous Totally Locally £5 message: "If every adult in Ashby spent just £5 per week in their local independent shops and businesses, it would mean more money per year going directly into our local economy. Which can lead to more jobs, a better high street, a stronger economy and a nicer place to live. Makes you think doesn't it?

"Fiver Fest has been running successfully in individual towns in the UK and abroad over the past seven years, but in 2019 the team at Totally Locally brought together towns across the country in on big Fiver Fest celebration.

"A total of 43 towns joined in and he result was phenomenal with reports of new customers, people rediscovering shops they hadn't been into in years and huge sales of £5 offers.

"Over the two consecutive Fiver Fests, the number of tons taking part has now reached over 100. Fiver Fest Offers have been imaginative and varied; from £5 massages, to a £5 local meat packs, £5 best