Buy Local

Have you heard about the 2012 Buy Local Challenge?

This summer Norfolk is calling on its people to commit – for just a week – to use only local shops, services and products.

Not surprisingly the great and the good think it’s a great idea and we’re all being urged think before we buy, bearing in mind that if a business has its head office out of the county then it’s not local!

Of course it’s all about consumer choice – and there’s plenty of that within the coffee and sandwich sector.  And while Norwich is fortunate to have a healthy spread of independent cafes and bars, it’s the chains that dominate in the prime footfall (high rent) areas.

That’s the problem with our high streets today – it’s only the deep pocketed giants that can afford to be in the most central areas, which means that customers have to make an extra effort to seek out us independents.

But thank goodness that they do – or cities such as Norwich would lose that eclectic vibrancy that’s so cherished.  Not only that, customers would surely be forced to lower their expectations too.  And that would be a sad day indeed.      

Three cheers for Buy Local.

 http://www.expresso-online.co.uk/