Opt-in membership is available to businesses that either exist out-with the catchment area of Nairn BID, or whose property’s rateable value lies below the £1000 threshold, but still wish to support the BID and receive most of the benefits that members do. As Nairn BID exists for the improvement of Nairn as a whole then supporting the BID can be a valuable way of saying to your customers that you as a business are contributing to making Nairn a better place.
Opt-in members receive the same benefits as other members, they just don’t have the voting rights that levy area businesses do when it comes to the renewal ballot for the BID. For the five year business plan which outlines the main areas of spending and objectives of Nairn BID, please click here.
They can apply for free stalls at our events and markets, benefit from free marketing and promotion (website listing, social media sharing and member of the month), and attend our meetings, business workshops and networking events.
Nairn BID organises street markets along the High Street several times a year. The BID also runs Taste of Nairn, Wheels of Nairn and the Countdown to Christmas events.
If you think your business would benefit by being part of the BID and you would like to join, please fill in our application form. You can also send us a photograph and listing wording for the VisitNairn website.
Opt-in membership starts from £125 a year. Membership runs for our financial year from 1st October to 30th September. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch – office@nairnconnects.com
Member of the Month
Swansons
May 2024
Member of the Month for May is a much-loved, long-standing Nairn business that recently received a fresh new look. This seems fitting, given that fresh produce is what Swanson’s, Nairn’s local greengrocer on Leopold Street, focus on. Having recently had fresh signage, with new tills and flooring expected shortly, they’re also excited to share that their revamped open plan layout has allowed them to expand the range of goods they have to offer.
Member of the Month for May is a much-loved, long-standing Nairn business that recently received a fresh new look. This seems fitting, given that fresh produce is what Swanson’s, Nairn’s local greengrocer on Leopold Street, focus on. Having recently had fresh signage, with new tills and flooring expected shortly, they’re also excited to share that their revamped open plan layout has allowed them to expand the range of goods they have to offer.
History
The business was originally established in the 1980s as K. W. Ramage’s Fruiters, a name many in Nairn will be familiar with, and adopted its current title when both the wholesale and retail sections of the business were bought by Magnus Swanson in the late 1990s. Though they are still very much a traditional greengrocer and wholesaler, the business has continued to evolve over time and in 2021 transitioned to employee ownership.
We spoke to the business’ longest-serving employee Gillian Milne, Manager of the Nairn shop, to find out more about what Swanson’s offer and enjoy about being part of the community.
Gillian is definitely a person who knows her onions…and all things fresh-produce related! She began working alongside Ken Ramage in the 1990s learning the ins and outs of the Nairn retail business. Following a six-year stint in the Inverness wholesale branch she returned to the shop and has managed the team, which has had three part-time and three full-time members, ever since. Gillian enjoys working alongside the team encouraging everyone to weigh in on how to improve the business and offer the best customer service.
She explained: “The first thing I learnt was being able to tell the difference between wet and dry potatoes so I could advise on what types were good for mashing, roasting or soup.”
Today her breadth of experience and familiarity with all factors of the business and extensive product knowledge position herself and colleagues well to provide up-to-date advice on what’s in season or best for their customers’ needs.
Community in mind
Given the scope of the business, Swanson’s customers come from across the community, and as an independent retailer they’re able to provide a more personal service. The wholesale business, run from the back of the shop, provides fresh produce to schools, nurseries, hotels, nursing homes and restaurants within a 10-mile radius. Gillian can often be seen out and about in the van making deliveries and keeping in touch with local chefs. Their position at the heart of the community allows Swanson’s to provide an excellent commercial home-delivery service usually within two hours of receiving same-day orders.
The retail shop is a treat for all the senses. Their extensive range of fruit and vegetables is at the heart of the shop’s offering, though it also extends to fresh herbs and eggs, cakes, biscuits, jams, salad dressings, and other delicious treats which can be included in the beautiful hamper boxes they regularly take orders for. Since revamping the shop they’ve also introduced their own Swanson’s coffee beans and brew bags (like tea bags but for coffee). Not forgetting our feathered friends, they also offer to deliver sacks of birdfeed to customers who can’t carry them.
Shop local
The shop’s ethos is centred around keeping food miles low, providing the best of the seasons and offering the best quality produce to the public to keep, “People and local trade healthy and thriving,” Gillian explains. “We try to buy as much local and Scottish produce as we can,” and work closely with their buyer at the Glasgow Fruit Market each week to source any additional produce. Most of the shop’s fruit and vegetables are sold loose, which in addition to looking beautiful and lending a delicious aroma to the space, has the advantage of reducing packaging and plastic and allowing customers to buy exactly what they need, minimising food waste.
Gillian values the emphasis in Nairn on shopping locally and the friendliness between businesses and the wider community. They regularly spill out onto the street for Street Markets and participate in BID local shopping promotions. This May sees the return of their special offer with both fruit and vegetable boxes available for £10.
Visit Swanson’s at 7 Leopold Street Monday to Saturday from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm.
For more information or to get in contact visit their website or Facebook page, e-mail swansonsnairn@aol.co.uk or phone 01667 455262.
