supporting the local community Post Reply

[balham_itey]

Having walked around Balham today , i was struck by how few people are actually in the shops - except for obviously Sainsburys , Waitrose et al .It may be a little controversial to say , but it seems evident that with the desirability status , which Balham now has and influx of "Nappyvallers " , that the only businesses thriving , seem to be coffee shops and food outlets ( where to purchase the next Latte seems to be the main preoccupation ).
WE ARE VERY LUCKY to have a number of well regarded specialist shops in Balham which local people do not support enough .Sure , it may be easier to go online sometimes , but sooner or later there will be no other choice than to do so , if we do not use the shops we have . Balham will be a lot less " desirable " to us , if it only offers Coffees and Pizzas !

[this_is_cat]

There was a queue out of the door at Chadwicks at 11am on Sunday morning!

[balham_itey]

.........and ?

[this_is_cat]

....and therefore shops are clearly being supported?
As per your original post?

[balham_itey]

Oh dear me " Local shops are clearly supported , because there was a queue outside Chadwicks on Bank Holiday weekend " ?????? Everything is just fine then !!!
I find it very odd that people won't admit that they generally do not support local businesses ..... particularly the non- food related ones , but hey ...............

[this_is_cat]

What an odd post from you.
You suggest people aren't supporting local shops (despite that really not being very true) and then are rude to other people who take an interest in the topic.

[balham_itey]

I am sorry if i appeared rude !
When i have spoken to " non food " related shopkeepers locally , they have all truly said that they feel as though most people using their services will do so , after searching the internet , after going to Southside, John Lewis etc etc .
That is actually the reality , so i am sorry if you felt unhappy with my response to " The Chadwick Queue " . I am sure that buying an organic chicken is not particularly representational , thats all .

[this_is_cat]

Sorry, but I'm not sure I follow your logic.
The non-food shops are the ones struggling, yet you ask people to stop people going to Waitrose and Sainsburys. Clearly people aren't going to those shops for 'non-food' items, so those points are a complete non-sequitur.

And your assumption that Chadwicks only sells organic chickens or only caters to those who want to buy them shows you aren't particularly in touch with the food shops either, becuse their range and selection is actually pretty huge and has been key to their success over the years and the reason there is a queue out of the door when the supermarket over the road is open.
It is probably assumptions like yours that things sold in local shops are more expensive than those in supermarkets that means local shops aren't as well supported...

[balham_itey]

Well i really did not expect to be creating an argument , simply by expressing
an obsersation , and genuine concerns which i have been party to , by local independant shops .
I certainly did not suggest that people should NOT go to Waitrose or Sainsburys . I am also aware that Chadwicks sell more than organic Chickens .
- MY MAIN POINT WAS , and is that " NON FOOD " related independant shops in Balham struggle to make a living ,( FACT ) due to large amounts of people spending their money elsewhere .
-
Finally , i DO NOT assume that things sold in local shops are more expensive - i have never implied that .... and i do not believe so atall . I think that it is very important that we do not overlook these shops . Infact , i would also be more than happy to pay a little more to allow them to thrive .