Reasons to support Midsomer Norton High Street this Christmas
W
ith everything that has happened this year, Christmas shopping is going to be much more arduous than usual. Who wants to head into the city and stand about in the cold queuing and trying to avoid other shoppers? Especially when you could find gifts for your family and friends on Midsomer Norton High Street, saving yourself money and stress and also helping with the local economy which has been hit particularly hard in 2020. With lockdown being lifted on the 2nd December (at the time of writing), we encourage you to visit your local shops and buy local. Here are some reasons why you should use our High Street this Christmas. Unique and more personal gifts Our local independent and smaller shops source their stock from a wide range of suppliers, meaning you’ll often find products that don’t appear in national chains. If you’re on the hunt for something unique that will really brighten someone’s Christmas, you never know what you might find! From antiques and the unusual, to flowers and beauty gift vouchers, there is something for all. You can get better service In the city and with national chains, there is no real accountability when it comes to customer service. In a smaller, local shop though, business owners often know much more about the products and can offer better advice as well as being generally friendlier. It’s much more ethical If you care about the environment, shopping local is the best option. When you visit the High Street, you are using less petrol travelling around and so are your purchases, especially if you shop for products that are made in the area or buy gift vouchers. The High Street also has shops that pride themselves on eco products and recycled goods.
Shopping local boosts the economy and the price of your home! According to research conducted by local authorities across the UK, every £1 spent in the high street meant 63p for the local economy compared to 40p that came from spending a £1 in a national chain. Shopping locally is vital to keep the economy growing, it creates jobs and it makes the high street look nicer. Plus, research has shown that high streets that are thriving boosts the prices of nearby homes. Apparently, homes near prosperous town centres have risen by an average of £40,000 more than properties near quieter high streets – so that’s something to think about. Not only that, but shopping in the High Street also allows you to support vital services, like the library, local green spaces and other locally run services. You can save time This is one of the busiest times of the year, so obviously, you want to try and save as much time as possible so you can spend more of it with your loved ones and less of it stood around hunting for gifts. By popping to the High Street, you can save yourself the time (and the energy) of travelling out of town. It’s more socially rewarding Yes, we know, Rule of Six, no socialising and the recent lockdown but shopping local is a much more rewarding social experience than shopping in Bath or Bristol. Not only are you being served by other local people, who you might even know personally or know of, but everyone else shopping is local too, allowing you to catch up – from a distance – of course! By supporting our High Street, you can help create jobs, support the local community and with all the shops in the High Street following the guidelines, it is a safe and convenient way to get everything you need for Christmas.
