With our thanks to the Helensburgh Advertiser.

Traders gave shoppers the high five last month with the area’s first Totally Locally Spring Fiver Fest.

The two-week mini festival, which saw prices cut on a range of products including breakfasts at local restaurants, fitness classes and clothing brands, has been branded a triumphant success as locals backed the move to spend their hard earned cash in Helensburgh.

And this week, Katharine Crawford owner of Stow Away and Totally Locally organiser, paid tribute to shoppers for backing business on their doorstep.

She told the Advertiser: “We are really pleased with the how the first Fiver Fest has gone.

“We have had great feedback from both the local independent retailers and businesses who took part and the general public. They have really got behind the campaign which encourages people to spend £5 of their weekly budget with local business to support the local economy. It is certainly something that we will look to do again in the future.’

Totally Locally is a national campaign that helps towns by showcasing shops, businesses and people.

It was started in West yorkshire in 2009 and has launched in 10 towns UK-wide, with many more lined up to take the campaign.

Helensburgh was the first town to take Totally Locally outside Yorkshire, and the first town in Scotland to go Totally Locally in July 2011.

The ethos behind the movement – which is run almost entirely by volunteers – is that if every local spends just £5 a week in their local independent shops, instead of online or in the big supermarkets, it would be worth £3.1million coming into Helensburgh’s economy.

The Fiver Fest finished with the Our Town Lotto Draw being held at Stow Away.

Totally Locally was the March sponsor of the Lotto Draw and several retailers who took part in the Fiver Fest were present to help draw the winning tickets – even BJ the resident Pet Shop parrot got in on the act.

Cat from Amethyst was delighted by the response to her Fiver Fest Face Massage offer. She said: “New and existing clients thoroughly enjoyed taking time out to treat themselves. Some of my regular yoga class attendees were persuaded to try out the offer and have become new converts. The £5 offer allowed them to do this without breaking the bank.”

Plans are under way for more events throughout the year