About Sustain Local
The decline in customer footfall in our cherished towns and cities is significantly impacting local businesses that rely on nearby shoppers to stay open. This downturn stems from various factors, including the rapid rise of online retail giants like Amazon and a societal shift towards spending more time at home. While lockdowns played a role, the broader evolution of consumer expectations for instant, on-demand convenience has further fuelled this change.
Tragically, many loyal customers have unknowingly drifted away from the independent businesses and shops they once cherished, opting for the convenience of shopping from their sofas instead. This shift is more than just an economic issue — it's a societal epidemic, affecting not only local businesses but also the physical and mental well-being of individuals across all age groups.
As our name suggests, Sustain Local exists to combat this troubling trend by showcasing the unique value and charm of local shops and businesses, reconnecting buyers with the heart of their communities. Our mission is to inspire consumers to think 'local first' before turning to online giants for goods and services readily available from nearby independent retailers. Local independents often deliver a higher, more personal level of service — benefiting individuals, strengthening communities, and fostering a vibrant, sustainable society. We aim to shift habitual buying behaviours and embed local sustainability into everyday purchasing decisions. Together, we can restore footfall to its former level. #SustainLocal
Local Business Directory for Derbyshire and South Yorkshire
We’re on a mission to raise the profile of local independent businesses across Derbyshire and South Yorkshire with our brand-new local business directory. Our primary aim is to spotlight the amazing businesses in these two fantastic counties and drive more footfall to these local treasures. While Google is great for finding specific things, it’s not ideal for browsing a variety of local businesses and what they offer—that’s where our directory comes in! Browse businesses from across Derbyshire and South Yorkshire all in one place. Search by category, location, or even by dragging a map!
We love our local area and are deeply saddened by the decline of local shops and services. That’s why we’re taking action to help reverse the trend of big-box stores and online giants dominating consumer choices. Let’s bring back the tradition of buying locally and supporting our communities, just like we used to!
Help Us Help You!
This is a completely free service for all independent businesses in Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. The more our social media is shared, the more businesses will join the directory, making it even more useful for local consumers. More listings mean more visibility—and ultimately, more customers for you!
Together, we can re-energise our local communities. Are you in?
Add your business and share our Socials - let's see if we elevate local businesses!
Who We Are
Sustain Local is a dedicated brand of Creativity Sells Ltd., committed to supporting local businesses and revitalising communities. Founded in 2007, Creativity Sells Ltd. has served over 200 customers, developed more than 450 websites, managed over 30,000 email marketing campaigns and generated over 5 million website enquiries. Backed by a skilled team of designers, developers, marketers, and SEO professionals, we bring a wealth of talent and expertise to help small and local businesses gain the recognition they truly deserve.
We are highly selective in our recruitment process, which has enabled us to build an exceptional team dedicated to delivering excellence and providing the best possible experience for our customers. Our team comprises a diverse mix of Designers, Developers, Database Administrators, Marketers, Business Specialists, and SEO Experts, all working collaboratively to support our clients and their unique needs.
Ash Developer
Cameron Web Designer
Chris Developer
Josh Junior Artworker
Jared Designer
Jess Front-End Developer
Lianne Accounts
Matt Managing Director
Nathan Head of Development
Rachael Data Analyst
Pete Operations Director
Digital Marketing Services
Our primary areas of digital marketing expertise are Website Design & development, SEO, Marketing and Branding. For those businesses that require eCommerce, we are a Shopify partner and can develop highly optimised eCommerce solutions. Whilst we provide eCommerce solutions, however, our primary focus remains on driving local footfall to our beloved towns and communities, ultimately delivering significant benefits to local businesses.
We don't simply 'design' websites – we craft highly targeted, focused, and profitable extensions of your business. With a deep understanding of the internet, technology, and consumer behaviour, we bring this expertise to every project we undertake. While our primary focus is on developing technologies that drive profitability for our customers in the digital age, our business is firmly built on support, values, and integrity.
Over 70% of our 200+ customers have come to us through direct referrals from existing clients. We don't advertise or employ a sales team – our growth has been entirely driven by word of mouth and organic search results, a testament to the results we deliver and the ongoing support we provide to our valued customers.
Furthermore, all the websites we create are built on our proprietary software, developed entirely in-house and continually updated to align with the latest user trends, security requirements, and search engine algorithms. This sets us apart from the countless agencies and website providers that rely on off-the-shelf platforms such as Joomla, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, and WordPress. By maintaining full control over our platform, we eliminate the risks associated with outdated plugins, malfunctioning third-party widgets, and other common issues. This gives us complete control, ensuring every solution is tailored to your business and free from the common pitfalls of third-party platforms. Additionally, our website technology has SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) built in, removing the need for 'SEO plugins' such as Yoast, SEOPress, or Rank Math. This ensures the websites we build remain lean, efficient, and fast-loading — all of which help our customers achieve top results in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Our proprietary content management system (CMS), honed over the years, is trusted by hundreds of customers who consistently praise its ease of use and seamless functionality. Even better, it's built with customer number one – Google – in mind, ensuring strong search engine performance.
Get in touch
