It is no secret that the UK is a thriving and popular destination for holidaymakers all around the world. With countless movies being filmed there and even celebrity sightings with the Brit Awards – London seems to be doing it all and then more! However, how do things look for the average retailer and specifically, for the average small business owner? Is the country as rich and glamorous in that regard too? It’s time to take a closer look at how the economy of small retail businesses is doing in the UK.
The High Streets of London: Local or Online?
The UK is known for its ‘high’ streets on which small businesses open their doors daily, often to accommodate the local community. There are small bakeries, little tobacco shops, a local dairy business and sometimes even a lottery stand. Most locals might find the local high street a bit bland, resorting to placing some bets at their local sportsbook cafe or sports pub to liven up the day. Whether they are looking into placing an in-person bet or going home and online to look at the no deposit bonus in New Zealand and see what that’s about, one thing is for sure, a lot of business is also going online now. Whilst online is certainly the new fad and direction for the future, it must be said that high streets, for example in London, are doing a great job at keeping small businesses alive, too.
The Power of Small Retail Shops
All around London you will find small retail shops selling bespoke and unique trinkets to the public. A famous street, that houses many London-based stores is the King’s Road. A popular tourist destination for travelers looking to see the high life of the prestigious area of Chelsea. Naturally, you can find a large John Lewis store, with 5 floors of products being sold or a Superdrug store but on the other hand, you will also find small bakeries such as Gail’s and Peggy Porschen. Mind you, Gail’s has managed to open multiple stores all around London, making it a little less small but at its centre is still just a small bakery. The same with Peggy Porschen, a bespoke and picture-perfect bakery that first opened its pink baking doors on a quaint corner of Belgravia and then opened the second and larger store on an equally adorable corner on King’s Road. Both stores have managed to thrive in the British economy, showing that small businesses can certainly not only survive but thrive too.
Many voices advocate for small retail businesses. Famous and influential Brits who care about shopping locally and supporting the British economy all try to shine more light on some of their favorite small UK shops. Big voices in the UK, such as notonthehighstreet founder Holly Tucker, throw annual competitions and offer capital investments to small businesses making a difference. Many entrepreneurs have made good businesses with their small store’s success and are paying their success forward by supporting other small businesses. Again, to shows that the UK is very much invested in small businesses thriving.
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The Sustainability of Shopping Small
One of the most important points that they often make is the sustainability that comes with supporting small businesses. If you are buying from someone who sources their materials in Devonshire and Sheffield, produces in Birmingham and then sells in London, you’re supporting the economy many times over in one country. Not to mention the fact that by going local, you are often shopping from small businesses that are not trying to promote fast fashion or fast consumption of any kind.
Arguably, the most important thing in today’s world is ‘going green’ or offering a sustainable way to produce and shop. Purchasing from large corporations that have mass amounts of waste a year, spending billions on PR to cover up any environmental health scare they have caused instead of changing operations to produce more sustainably is simply not an ideal or conscious way to move forward. Large businesses that can be environmentally conscious are unfortunately far and few between, making small businesses a quiet revolution in regards to promoting a more aware stance on producing and selling items.
Looking Forward
The rise in digital shops has been astronomical, even in the arena of small businesses. E-commerce platforms have made it so accessible and inexpensive for a local retail store to sell all their goods online within the nation, that many retail stores now have both a brick-and-mortar as well as online presence. Many small businesses around London and the wider UK have experienced a massive surge in popularity. This is largely due to the increase in social media, meaning that more customers can find them more easily across the nation and the fact that small businesses truly are more sustainable, which is a direction that the world and people encourage greatly.
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