Shop Small. Shop Independent.

Shop 'Small'

In the U.K we’re renowned for being ‘traditional’. Almost everyone I know, who lives in and around London, loves a ‘proper’ pie & mash and let’s not forget the liquor! I even know people from further up north who love their chips and gravy and people further down south who love their infamous pasties! I could go on, but the point I’m making is we continue to keep traditions such as these, yet we forget about the importance of shopping local & ‘small’- an integral tradition which is rapidly fading away.

It’s what you see everywhere; small towns and businesses campaigning for local residents to shop within. Persuading you against venturing out of town to purchase your goods from large supermarket chains, which help fuel the powerhouses. But why?

Let me explain...

In this country we are lucky enough to pride ourselves upon a rich historic culture, boasting some beautiful historic towns such as Canterbury and Rochester - both of which have a handful of small, independent businesses.

However, these towns are diminishing year after year as the handful of small businesses- one by one- slowly disappear only to taken over by a large franchise. That large franchise who already has another store established just 100 yards up the road. It’s almost as if people are forgetting about the traditions of popping into your local butchers to get your meat and stepping into your local café for a quick ‘cuppa’.

Sooner or later our small historic highstreets, boasting the small independent retailers, shall become extinct- it will just be another high-street modernised by your large chained ‘super-retailers’. Is that what we really want?

We need YOU

To your local shop keeper you’re not just a statistic or ‘another sale’, you ARE a valued customer. When your shop at your local independent store, you’re not paying for a big CEO’s third or fourth holiday this year. You’re helping an individual provide for their family, place food on the table, pay for their little boy or girl to have football/dance lessons, help put clothes on their back and even help them pay towards school uniform. All I ask of you is to think of that next time you go out shopping- help a family- don’t just become a statistic or ‘another sale’.

I’d personally like to thank all of our customers that support us throughout the year because without all of your help, support and custom we simply- like every other independent retailer- wouldn’t be here today. So thank you!

If I could ask everyone to share this article to help raise awareness of the importance of shopping local, it would go a long way for all other independent retailers. #shoplocal #shopindependent