Inverurie cycling-themed shop window competition will mark Tour of Britain visit to Inverurie
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A NEW shop window competition in Inverurie will put show off the creativity of the town's business community.
The competition will task businesses with setting up a cycling-themed window display, ahead of the UK's top cycle race the Tour of Britain (TOB) passing through Inverurie next month for the first time.
Organised by We Are Inverurie, the local Business Improvement District (BID), the top shop will win a £500 prize, with two runners-up netting £250.
BID manager Derek Ritchie said the idea for the competition came after the success of a similar event which marked the Queens Platinum Jubilee.
Mr Ritchie said: "We have done window display competitions in the past, but we thought this would be a great way to mark the very first time that the TOB has come through Inverurie.
"We had a similar competition for the Platinum Jubilee which was a huge success, with the vast majority of shops in the town centre taking part and Aberdeenshire Council offered their support for the competition."
Kicking off on Monday, August 29, the competition will shake up local shops until the day the race passes through the town, Sunday, September 4.
The winner will be decided by the public, with locals encouraged to show their support for top shop on social media.
Mr Ritchie is now encouraging businesses to get involve, with just over a week until the sign-up deadline of Friday, August 26.
He said: "It is still early days, but we have already had seven applications and we expect quite a few more will take part.
"All they need to do is register with myself by Friday, August 26, have their display in place by Monday, August 29 up to and including Sunday, September 4.
"If the Platinum Jubilee displays are anything to go by, we are in for a treat."
As excitement builds for the race, passing through in just over two weeks, Mr Ritchie says it and the window competition will have a host of benefits for local businesses.
He said: "The window competition will definitely help to raise awareness about the TOB coming to our town and build the excitement ahead of the race.
"Those shops who don’t usually open on a Sunday, but plan to open on race day, should benefit from the huge amount of extra footfall expected in the town centre as, of course, will those who are usually open anyway.
The window competition is one of several projects that We Are Inverurie is working on.
Mr Ritchie said: "We have our Pride of Inverurie Awards Dinner this Friday (August 19) in the Town Hall, The BIG Switch-On & St Andrews Parade on Sunday, November 27 and plans are well under way for IN-Tune Inverurie on Mayday weekend next year.
"IN-Tune Inverurie will feature various live bands in the town hall, local acts in a marquee and a massed pipes and drums parade."
For more Tour of Britain news, click here.
