Love local with the ShopMEA app, available for download now!

Shopping local and supporting our wonderful Mid and East Antrim businesses has just got more exciting, as the must-have ShopMEA app launches to the public!

You’ll now have access to the best and most exclusive deals, rewards and events right in the palm of your hand, with a large network of local retailers and service providers from our three town centres of Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne, already on board.

The app, funded by the Department for Communities’ COVID-19 Recovery Revitalisation Programme and launched by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Town Centre Recovery Group, forms part of the joint strategy for supporting local businesses to grow and sustain as they navigate the ongoing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

ShopMEA can now be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play Store, helping you to reignite your love affair with all that’s local.

Packed with special offers and promotions from the best places to grab a bite to eat or relax over a coffee and cake with friends and family, ShopMEA is the one app you won’t want to miss out on.

As well as arming you with the latest deals and spending rewards, the app will also help you stay connected to what’s happening in your local area, with a live events calendar and easy-to-access information about the must-visit attractions on your doorstep.

The ShopMEA app is available to any resident or visitor in Mid and East Antrim, and initial momentum has been staggering, with many local businesses signed up.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor William McCaughey, says this is an exciting time for shoppers and traders alike.

“The ShopMEA app is the ideal shopping companion for anyone wanting to support our local business community, and will place the best deals and events into the hands of more people than ever before.

“Well done to all those involved, particularly the Town Centre Recovery Group, who have been instrumental in supporting our local economy throughout the last 18 months and beyond.

“Mid and East Antrim continues to lead the way in providing innovative ways to reinvigorate the retail and hospitality sectors, and the launch of ShopMEA is a truly exciting development.”

Communities Minister, Deirdre Hargey, said: “ I am greatly encouraged with the work my Department has been undertaking with the Council in delivering a range of projects for our local towns, including this new ShopMEA app, as we return to a new normality and recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The ShopMEA app will encourage both locals and visitors to enjoy the towns of Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne. It is another excellent example of how the COVID-19 Recovery Revitalisation Programme is helping local businesses to not only adapt but also widen their offerings and create new opportunities.”

Download ShopMEA from the App Store and Google Play Store today, or find out more over at http://onelink.to/shopmea

Notes to editors:-

1. The COVID-19 Recovery Revitalisation Programme was introduced by the Department for Communities to support town and city centres in their recovery from the pandemic. It is a £19.3m programme with, £12m from the Department for Communities, £5m from the Department for Infrastructure and £2.3m from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.