Why we must support local retailers this Christmas - Yorkshire Post Letters

Don’t forget to buy local this Christmas. I keep getting told that this will be a digital Christmas, with most purchasing taking place online. Of course, in this current pandemic it is much more convenient and easy to buy online. But I appeal to everyone not to forget their local retailers this Christmas.

Admittedly, as the owner of a local business, I have a vested interest here. But if we want to be able to buy from our local shops next year, we all need to support our local shops this year, now more than ever.

Buying local helps the locality in so many ways. It provides jobs in the area, it maintains a good choice of shops and it enables the retailers to go on to spend their income in the locality too, in shops, on advertising, with tradesmen, providing raffle prizes, etc, generally supporting their local community.

And I’ve noticed that local shops will often have a more interesting range of goods and many can make home deliveries. By supporting them we support local families and they go on to support our rural community. For example, at The Courtyard Dairy for every £1 we spend, 40p is spent locally.

In this area we are lucky enough to enjoy a fabulous range of local shops, focusing on crafts, DIY tools, wine, flowers, home-ware, children’s toys, books etc. In fact there’s a full range of gifts for all the family. We need to make sure we don’t lose this.

So this year perhaps we could all think a little more about where we spend our money. If we value our local retailers, by supporting them we can all help to ensure they continue to be there for us. It’s in our gift.

From: Ian Traynor, Osbaldwick, York.

Andrew Vine (The Yorkshire Post, November 17) says he won’t “put a penny into online giants such as Amazon”. Fair enough, and I agree with him when it comes to products “supplied and fulfilled by Amazon”.

But Amazon Marketplace is full of small online shops who, even if they are not local to you, will be local to someone, as are many of the non-private sellers on eBay. Yes, these giants take a slice of the seller’s profits, just as credit card companies do when you flash the plastic at shops.

As someone who is fairly vulnerable because of age, I am cautious about physically shopping in York. There are some local, small businesses who are happy to do postal deliveries – but they can’t supply all my needs. I will continue to shop online, buying through small businesses when I can.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click here to subscribe.