The head of Cromer’s business chamber has sent out a rallying call for people to hit the high street, start their Christmas shopping early and support the town’s independent traders.
This newspaper’s Shop Local campaign is a use-it-or-lose-it plea to shoppers to consider independent traders and businesses this festive period and beyond in a bid to bolster our much-loved high streets.
And now is a key time for the county’s businesses. A survey of more than 250 firms across East Anglia found 79pc are reliant on a good Christmas trading period and only 8pc of businesses surveyed felt they in no way were banking on a good festive peak.
Keeping money in Norfolk and Waveney is key. According to research by the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, for every £1 spent at an independent business 63p ends up back in the local economy compared to only 5p spent at a national or international retailer.
Sam Grout, the owner of The Old Rock Shop Bistro and president of Cromer’s Chamber of Trade and Business said while the majority of traders in the town were “still positive” there was a very real need to support local businesses.
Mr Grout said every pound spent with the town’s independent businesses had a “ripple effect” which spread out beyond the local economy to the entire community.
He said supporting the local high street was about supporting the people behind the businesses and affected more than just traders.
“It’s people who employ other people, whose children go to the local school, use local groups, scouts etc., people that keep all these things thriving.
“[When you shop local] you’re not helping the CEO of a big company you’re helping the people you see everyday,” he said.
Mr Grout said while he wanted to remain positive he was aware some people complained that towns often had too many similar types of businesses be it cafes, charity shops or chains.
He said: “I don’t like too much negative focus but there is that element on social media, and not just in Cromer, of town’s being made up of too similar types of business but the types of business that keep that diversity need support.”
Mr Grout said he hoped people would recognise how quickly independents had adapted to challenges of coronavirus, often reacting quicker than their big counterparts to serve communities.
He said: “There’s a slight rallying call from the point of view of all of the smaller independent businesses which adapted quickly, before the chains could over night.
“It was the little independents that kept that side up, offering deliveries, supplies and so on.”
Mr Grout, who took part in research which quizzed independents on how they were feeling ahead of Christmas, the government’s support during the pandemic and what the future held for business said he would “urge the public to consider” what they could buy in Cromer before they went online.
He said: “I would encourage people to start their Christmas shopping early and spread it out so there isn’t this big rush in late December but also speak to shop owners themselves who want to stock what the public want, so if they can order an item in they will.
“There’s an opportunity to take a step back, lockdown gave people a renewed appreciation for a simpler, calmer pace of life.
“I think people appreciate that type of shopping, they have the chance to make it part of Christmas itself, take a step back, make it a slower more traditional Christmas rather than clicking a list online and if you’re in the position to start shopping early, do.”
“Christmas was very much a Victorian invention, you hear about or read about people going shop to shop, it was very much part of the process and the celebration itself.
“We’re never going back to that, but we have a very full town, independent shops, there’s more opportunity to support them,” he said.
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