AN ESTATE agent has joined forces with an online directory in a bid to make Farnham ‘truly virtual’, with the introduction of 360-degree shop tours.

Virtual Farnham now provides a complete virtual tour of more than 20 shops so people can look round at items on offer.

Businesses already signed up for the tours include Ruby Jones Home in West Street and Roost Cafe in Lion and Lamb Way.

The original website was launched by Kathryn Virji and Corin Langton, who run local design consultancy The Langtons, and it went live in May after the first lockdown as a directory of Farnham shops.

It was launched with the aim of helping business owners connect with potential customers after “seeing the whole town shut down” when the March lockdown came into effect.

The interactive map of the town allows viewers to see which shops are open, and includes links to websites and further contact details.

The couple said: “It felt like the business owners had no access, and customers did not have access to them either.

“We were trying to build a sense of community, helping create a dialogue between businesses and the people of Farnham.”

Reaction to the website was overwhelmingly positive.

So the next step to provide virtual shop tours was taken using technology provided by ME Estate Agents in Castle Street.

The technology provides virtual tours for homes, and the estate agents offered it to Virtual Farnham completely free.

Steve Darling, operations director at ME Estate Agents, said: “As a local business that calls the town centre our home, we’re pleased to team up with Virtual Farnham to use this technology to help support other local businesses and our community – something we are very passionate about at ME Estate Agents.

“I think the businesses were a bit apprehensive in the beginning, thinking there was something about it – as in, how much is it going to cost me – but once we got a couple on board then the domino effect started to happen.”

Thanks to the new scheme, Mr Darling said a few businesses with the online website tours had got in touch to say they had already taken a couple orders because of it.

For more information and to take a look at the shop’s 360-degree tours, visit www.virtualfarnham.co.uk