A SCHEME to encourage shoppers back into High Wycombe and away from retail centres further afield will be launched early in the New Year.

The Shop Local initiative will aim to highlight the importance of supporting local retailers throughout the year and will begin after a town-wide survey of traders in the coming months.

Campaign organiser Thomson Directories, publishers of the Thomson Local phonebook, hope Shop Local could help attract shoppers back to Wycombe and away from nearby retail centres such as London, Reading, Watford and, more recently, Uxbridge.

Adrian Linden, a spokesman for Thomson, explained: "This scheme will run throughout the country because we believe it's an issue for market towns stuck close to big cities or other centres. People find their local shops are disappearing."

Mr Linden explained that the Shop Local scheme will be made known across High Wycombe by means of special window stickers.

Local sponsorships and a focus on deserving retailers, "unsung heroes", who have gone beyond the call of duty in providing their services, will also take place.

He said: "We want to help people whatever their needs whether it's businesses wanting to make themselves known to other businesses or Joe Public looking for details on when the nearest swimming pool is going to be open."

The Shop Local scheme has already been tested in Bath, Ilford and Swindon and, according to Thomson, has proved a great success.

A spokesman for Wycombe District Council said the council would always support any effort to keep people shopping in High Wycombe.

He explained the council would continue to work towards making the town centre more attractive to shoppers and added: "The revitalisation of the town centre is a priority. Improvements are now very near completion in Frogmoor and new businesses are moving into the area. We hope to announce progress concerning the Phoenix project [the replacement to the failed Western Sector development] in the New Year."