Supporting your local businesses should be for life – not just for Christmas!
However, Christmas is a busy time for retail and many small businesses rely on Christmas to boost their profits, and top up what may have been a less than profitable year.
We can all show our appreciation for our local, independent retailers both by spending our money with them and by championing them. It is easy to write a good review online, share their Facebook pages and spread the word verbally with family and friends.
Many small businesses struggle to afford the cost of marketing so they may be difficult to find. I’m always excited when I find a ‘hidden gem’ of a business that I didn’t know existed!
Remember too that, whether you’re looking for local foods, unique cards or decorations, quirky gifts or even an emergency plumber, Facebook is a great place to ask the local community for recommendations – you may even get a recommendation for yourself if you’re a local craftsperson or small retailer!
If you do prefer to shop online for any reason, you don’t need to spend your money with big corporate companies. You can still enjoy the ease of online shopping whilst knowing that you’re making a huge difference to a real person with a real family to support. Many charities have online shops in addition to their high street stores. For example, The Wildlife Trust who look after many wonderful sites around the County have some lovely gifts. Prospect and Doroth House Hospices who have shops in many of our Towns, sell a wonderful array of cards and gifts and you can even buy gift vouchers so that your friends can choose their own purchases.
It’s been a tough year for small businesses and many will be worried about their future in the wake of the new Government’s Tax and NI Changes, which is why I’m doing as much as I can to support them. We are lucky to have some great Farm shops around us and I’ll definitely be buying my Christmas Dinner from local suppliers (even the wine can be bought from Vineyards not too far away)!
We know that when money circulates within the local business community, most of it stays local. It can have a ripple effect on the economy as a whole, benefiting multiple local businesses and individuals. This also helps to bolster the local job market – especially during the busy Christmas period.
Remember, continuing to shop locally and with our many independent outlets will make a world of difference to small business owners throughout our constituency.