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Take a new look at local businesses
The theme of this article was in draft in January - then we woke up to the news from Torcross, which continues to develop as I type. With properties now at risk there, our thoughts are very much with the community deeply affected, especially as the weather continues to be challenging.
The Chamber of Commerce is working to ensure the business perspective is part of the discussions about what now and what next, as the A379 is a vital link between our communities as well as a much-loved asset. These events also add an urgency to the points made in this article, because the business community across our District needs whatever support you can give.
S
o, I want to start by asking how often have you walked into a supermarket that you use regularly, and found they have moved
categories around? Probably your reaction was one of frustration: “why have they done that, how am I going to find xyz?!” There is actually a very good reason behind these annoying shake- ups. The disruption to your routine forces you to take your blinkers off, and notice things you usually ignore. This often means you notice things you had forgotten were stocked there, or ranges you didn’t know the shop even held. Overtime we all get set in our ways, which means we pigeon-hole shops or totally ignore particular aisles. So retailers have learnt to take drastic action to get our attention.
They work year round, because this is not a seasonal town (c.90% were open in January – we know because we asked them all!)
■ We have many outstanding businesses, selling homewares, clothing, accessories, gifts, cooking up award winning meals, or creating vibrant places to socialise. They have chosen this area because they love this amazing corner of Devon, an opportunity came up, and they wanted to be part of a close-knit community. So they work hard to provide places that are worth visiting.
■ New businesses open up every year – did you know we have a specialist knitwear business, a florist, a tapas bar, a mixologist…
■ The businesses create the buzz in a town – it would be a hollow shell if they weren’t here.
“give your local businesses a try before you go online to make a purchase”
■ BUT when was the last time you properly browsed the whole retail offer in Dartmouth? When did you last try a restaurant outside your regular haunts? How often do you dismiss a business because “it’s not for me” – when in fact you haven’t been in for several years?
On behalf of our local businesses, across Dartmouth & District, we’d like to ask you to step out of your routines, and give the shops, restaurants, cafes and bars in this area a fresh look. We know you will be pleasantly surprised by
What has this got to do with your local Chamber of Commerce? Well, we’d like to challenge you to shake-up your perception of Dartmouth & District businesses. We can’t behave like the supermarkets and reorganise the streets to make you take notice! We can, however, encourage you to give your local businesses a try before you go online to make a purchase:
■ This area is not only a stunning corner of the country, it is full of people working hard to run their businesses. 6 out of 10 businesses in our district are independent – small, owner-run, absolutely passionate about what they do.
dartmouthchamber.co.uk
what you see. Most importantly you will be supporting hard- working locals, as they navigate their businesses through some choppy waters. What have you got to lose?
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