Futures Forum: "Promoting local economic activity, local services and facilities, social and community wellbeing and environmental protection"
Futures Forum: Can anyone save the High Street?
Futures Forum: "Statistics show us that small and medium-size businesses (including those in tourism) are our life blood."
Futures Forum: Local Retail Levy: Exmouth Town Council support Transition Town Exmouth initiative
Futures Forum: Foreign Direct Investment ... vs ... supporting locally-owned small businesses
Futures Forum: The power of local government to determine the future of high streets
The Federation of Small Businesses is campaigning to keep trade local:
What is Keep Trade Local ?
Small businesses are the heart of the local community. They generate wealth, employment and opportunity.
Following the horsemeat scandal, many people chose to use their independent, high street butchers.
This return is good news, but we don't want it to be a reactionary fad!
We want to see people using all of the independent businesses on the high street, and celebrate the uniqueness and flavour that they bring to their communities.
Once a high street has fallen into decline the trend can be very difficult to reverse. Still, there are issues that local authorties can address to help reverse the tide of closing shops, and help people return to the high street.
What are we doing?
We are lobbying local authorities on the three Ps:
Parking
Our research shows that seven in 10 small firms think parking is priority for the future of independent shops.
Planning
Nearly 70 per cent of members said that small businesses have to wait more than the maximum of eight weeks for local authorities to decide minor planning applications. So we need to see a speedier planning system.
Procurement
Local Authorities spend around £88 billion annually. This could be used to boost the local economy by using local, small business suppliers and keep procurement procedures simple.
If you are a small business owner - what can you do?
We want more people to use their independent shops and to think small first. So what can you do?
- Speak to your FSB Development Manager to get stickers for your shop windows and if you are selling produce sourced locally try to highlight this
- Say thank you to your customers by giving them a postcard with their purchase
- Spread the message on social media – tweet pictures of people buying your products and share them using hashtag #keeptradelocal or post them on our Facebook page. We will host them on our Tumblr
If you are a consumer - what can you do?
Why not think small first, when you set off to the shops or when you want to employ a service or visit a cafe? The greengrocer and the butcher, they are not always more expensive than the supermarket, and they offer a personalised service that you seldom can get in a big supermarket. Sadly, the case is that if we don't use our independent businesses we will lose them.
Together we can keep our high streets not just alive, but thriving.
If you are not a member of the FSB, why not take a look at our benefits page to see how the FSB could help your business?
Keep Trade Local
Our campaigns
The Devon region is very active:
Devon - Federation of Small Businesses - FSB - UK small business support organisation
With its own newsletter focussing on Devon issues
- such as how to overcome the issues around the recent flooding:
www.fsb.org.uk/121/assets/voice/devon2.pdf
And a look forward to the Honiton Show in August:
East Devon - Federation of Small Businesses - FSB - UK small business support organisation
The FSB is also sponsoring the Sustainability Show later this month:
Futures Forum: The Sustainability Show: Taunton: 15th June: "Lovely people, lots of business done in a laid back atmosphere."
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