Ok, so the big wooden boxes (aka traffic calming measures) in the middle of the street are a pain to some independent retailers, however now that many of them are to remain in place, this means that the voting public see them as a good thing. But what does this mean for the local convenience high street retailer? Is it time to view the traffic calming measures as a positive step? I think so…

Ok, so people cannot park to buy their plantain, a few eggs or a sack of potatoes, but perhaps there’s scope to get creative and make local shopping a delightful experience where locals want to walk to the sh ops for exercise and even more importantly – to do their bit for the environment.

If more people shopped locally, there would be fewer cars idling in traffic, so this is a win for the world. Ok, I know that the major retailers are rocking up with all their strong brand presence, and green credentials but even this could be a positive for independents as well.

The major chain retailers do not stock a wide enough variety of ethnic foods, they don’t know local people either, so it’s my opinion that if the independents took steps to own the local high streets, keep them neat, clean and vibrant, this could entice us to walk to the shops instead of driving. What’s not to like?

So to me… shopping local has three core benefits, keeping us fit, keeping the high street alive and helping us to do a bit for the planet by leaving our cars at home. It’s a win win for everyone – especially the environment. So come on all you independents, give us a good reason to keep shopping locally. Let’s show the retail giants that you care about the environment too.

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