My story

When I was a child, my parents bought a grocery store. In those days, people were drawn to these shops for more than just food – they were the social hub of local communities. Places to meet, places to gossip – somewhere you could go for a cheerful smile or a sympathetic ear while you picked up a few things for dinner.

It was no surprise that a family business required a family to run it. From an early age, we had jobs to do in the shop, small responsibilities that grew bigger over time. Although I didn’t know it then, being a shopkeeper’s daughter gave me the foundations of a work ethic that has never left me. It also taught me a lot about people and loyalty.

Of course, when supermarkets started to really make their impact on society, consumer habits changed and there was a not-so-subtle shift towards their gleaming aisles and discounted prices at the expense of the local grocer. Eventually my dad had to make a choice – turn his business into a 7-day-a-week milk bar, or sell up, move on and go back to a regular job. Which is what he did.

Small businesses have always faced challenges and with COVID-19, for some, those challenges will be insurmountable. With enforced lockdowns and limited options to live our normal lives, it’s easy to forget the people behind the local shops, cafes and restaurants when we dare to make a quick dash to the supermarket or a drive-through take-away chain.

Our local traders are the glue that keeps a community together, and every small business has a story to tell. It’s time we listened.