Breakfast radio presenter Crofty gave his co-host Grado a tour of Carluke while promoting the Scotland Loves Local campaign.
The GO Radio duo hit the streets of the Lanarkshire town as they recorded a video encouraging people to “choose local”.
Crofty (Gary Muircroft), has been living in the town with his family for the last four years, and gave wrestler Grado, Graeme Stevely, the lowdown on the local businesses as he showed what the town had to offer.
The popular pair attracted lots of interest from passers-by as they filmed businesses around about the town.
They interviewed a number of business owners, asking them what the support of local people means to them.
Grado was happy to tuck into some fritters from Ebi’s takeaway, and Crofty managed to get a haircut at Alan Forster Barbers from teenager Jake McCallum, 17, from Law.
The apprentice barber’s boss, Aaron Cleland, who runs the High Street enterprise with Scott McLean, said: “The most important thing that any of us can do is support our local businesses.
“The support we’ve had from our customers since the start of the pandemic has been unbelievable. We’re so grateful for it.”
At Ebi’s Takeaway, Amir Nasri highlighted that businesses in the area all work to support each other.
He added: “We have to support each other. If we need anything we will buy it in the local area – our bread rolls come from the bakery across the road, for example.
“We are happy to help one another. Otherwise, our businesses won’t survive.”
The promotional video part of a national drive urging people to support businesses in their communities to help fuel their recovery from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The video also sees the pair pose the question of who Carluke’s most famous resident is – Crofty, or former Motherwell football hero turned pub landlord Dougie Arnott, who runs The Wee Thackit Inn?
Staff there praised the way people in the town support each other.
Bar worker Laura McKay said: “Without their support we will not have jobs. It’s as simple as that. We’re lucky we have regulars who really support us. If someone’s involved in an event, we’ll all do our bit and donate a prize. Carluke’s the type of place where everyone knows everyone. We try to help one another.”
Graham McNeill owns confectionery store Take The Biscuit on Market Place and gave a warm welcome to the radio stars.
He added: “From day one, the support we have had from local people has been fantastic. Without them we wouldn’t be here.”
Crofty said: “Carluke’s a great place and I was delighted to show Grado around. It was great fun.
“We’ve got fantastic people and businesses in Carluke and this was a tremendous opportunity to shine a spotlight on them.
“We all need to choose local and support businesses in our communities.”
Grado, who is also an actor and has appeared in Scot Squad and River City, said: “I’ve really enjoyed meeting the people behind some brilliant businesses in Carluke.
“They’re so passionate about what they do. I was blown away by how much they do to help each other – but they need their community to get behind them too. We all appreciate the way local businesses have been there for us during the pandemic, so we’ve got to keep on supporting them.”
Scotland Loves Local is spearheaded by Scotland’s Towns Partnership, which is working with GO Radio – which broadcasts across the region – to promote the campaign, with the presenters’ support.
The pair present the GO Radio breakfast show between 6am and 10am each weekday.
To watch their Scotland Loves Local video, go to https://thisisgo.co.uk/scotland-loves-local/
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