Sherwood MP Mark Spencer writes about impact of independent traders

As we settle into this new year, which I hope will be a happy one for you and yours, I would like to use my first As I See It column of 2023 to pay tribute to all of the fantastic businesses in Sherwood that saw us through the festive season.

It is undeniable that this past month, as well as several months before it, has been plagued by strike action across the postal sector, including couriers who find themselves in higher demand than ever before. Black Friday weekend, Cyber Monday and the Christmas period were some of the consumer holidays that saw delays, disruptions and dismay as parcels lay dormant in warehouses across the nation.

Whilst my ministerial colleagues and I believe that industrial relations are a matter for Royal Mail and its workforce representatives, and that they alone should reach an amicable agreement to avoid disruption to businesses and consumers, I think it is important to recognise how small, independent businesses across the country have stepped up to provide greater choice and quality on-the-job service this Christmas in the midst of this ‘courier crisis’.

I am proud to be part of a government that has administered unparalleled investment into supporting our local high streets and the small, independent retailers that choose to inhabit them. It is because of the £3.6bn-worth of investment allocated to the ground-breaking Towns Fund, which has helped to unleash the limitless economic potential of 101 places across England, that more and more local home-grown businesses are returning to our nation’s high streets and are making them their own.

I see the remarkable impact of small, independent retailers each and every time that I visit high streets across our own community: the vibrant market place on Hucknall high street where footfall is higher than ever, the fizzing passion of new family businesses settling on Edwinstowe village high street and the traditional handcrafted shops and cafés that have found their home in Calverton village square.

However, it would be naïve of me to ignore the shift in consumer attitudes that we have seen in recent years. I understand completely that many of us find it easier to shop from our sofas at large online retailers — we all do it.

Still, I think we all must admit the service we receive from these chain retailers or e-commerce sites don’t have a patch on that of smaller retailers who truly value community-based custom.

The example I tend to use when debating investment into our local high streets is fish and chip shops. Our nation’s chippies are the upholders of what I consider a Great British tradition — fish, chips and a big dollop of mushy peas on the side.

However, in my role as Fisheries Minister, I’m hearing from more and more people from communities nationwide that their local chippy is at risk of going under. What do I say back to them?

It’s simple if we don’t use them, we’ll lose them.

It goes without saying that small, independent businesses are the backbone of our local economies, especially at home here in Sherwood, and I am, and will continue to be, a strong advocate for the irreplaceable role that they play in all of our lives.