Traders trumpet local shops (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Traders trumpet local shops

3:50pm Monday 8th February 2010

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TRADERS in Bishop’s Waltham, under threat from a proposed Sainsbury’s supermarket, say the recent weather shows the importance of independent shops.

They say they came to the rescue during the Arctic conditions keeping shelves stocked and delivering supplies to the elderly.

Stainers bakers increased production to meet demand, and also kept many convenience stores in outlying villages stocked with bread.

Owner Christine Blanford said: “We are a small local business and we live on the premises, with the majority of our staff living close by.

“Therefore, we were able to provide 24- hour service throughout the extreme weather to our shop and all of the local shops we currently supply.”

Phil Channon, who runs greengrocer Hylands, was just as busy. Despite the heavy fall of snow overnight on January 5/6, Mr Channon said he still headed for the local wholesale market next morning to ensure that Bishop’s Waltham shoppers had plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables to choose from.

Local village shops also came into their own. In Swanmore, queues snaked through the village store as residents, unable to move their cars on ungritted roads, stocked up.

Next door, butcher, Robert Stewart, also saw unprecedented demand with his sales doubling compared to a normal early January.

Henry Fryer, chairman of Bishop’s Waltham Action Group, said: “We are fortunate in Bishop’s Waltham to have a vigorous, supportive and integrated community.

“Supermarkets, with their longer supply lines than our local shops, are less well able to cope with this kind of weather emergency.

“If Sainsbury’s were to build their supermarket here, many independent retailers would be forced out of business, undermining the vitality and viability of this community.”

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