THE Salisbury Indies Pocket Guide has now launched "to proudly showcase" independent businesses.

Salisbury Indies, a group made up of more than 150 businesses, has created the guide to promote independent shops, eateries and entertainment venues to both visitors and residents.

With 50,000 copies distributed throughout the city, the guide is spilt into four categories - retailers, food/ drink/ accommodation, health/ beauty, and entertainment/ leisure - boasting all the independent businesses and options that Salisbury has to offer.

Susi Mason, chairman of Salisbury Indies and owner of Casa Fina, hopes that the new guide will help people choose and access independent businesses more easily, adding: “The Salisbury Indies Pocket Guide showcases the abundance of independent businesses that Salisbury has.

“Many people want to shop local and support independent businesses, but sometimes it’s not always that easy to understand which businesses are independent.

“We’re grateful to the BID for their support with Salisbury Indies; without their funding and resource we wouldn’t be able to deliver promotional projects like the pocket guide.”

Inside the guide there is also an Indies loyalty card, designed to encourage shoppers to visit the featured businesses.

Once customers collect nine stickers from any of the independents listed in the guide, they will be able to enter a quarterly prize draw for a £50 Salisbury Gift Card.

Kara Rogers, marketing and communications manager of Salisbury BID, added: “We have so many independent businesses in the city centre, offering high quality services and products, who play such a huge part in Salisbury’s unique offer as a destination. Creating this pocket guide is a great way to proudly showcase them.”

The pocket guides are available from the businesses featured within the guides, the Tourist Information Centre, the train station and Park and Ride sites.