Fifers urged to 'shop local' and rally round independent retailers

Fife business owners have been urged to re-charge the local economy by supporting town centre independent traders.

The call comes as a new competition is launched to find the best small shops in Scotland, and hopes are high that the Kingdom will figure among the nominees.

The Best Small Shops Competition celebrates the successes of independent retailers and the central role they play in the local community, particularly in response to Covid-19.

Shops will be judged on their entrepreneurial spirit, ways that they have been innovative in their business and what they have done to have a lasting positive impact on their community.

Neale Hanvey, MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, believes the competition could be a platform to help the key independent sector rekindle our town centres as they emerge from lockdown.

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His call comes as the Scottish Government launches the ‘Scotland Loves Local’ campaign that is designed to encourage everyone to think local first and support their local town centres and High Streets.

A poll last week found that 66 percent of Scots say they will prioritise shopping locally as town centres fully reopen following lockdown.

Mr Hanvey said: “When you get the mix right between independent retailers, leisure, and housing, then you’ve got the ingredients for a modern, thriving High Street.

“We’ve already got some brilliant independent shops across the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency – maybe even one or two that could challenge to be the best in Scotland. So, if you run one of these shops, you should nominate yourself for the Best Small Shops competition.

“Now is also the time for the rest of us to shop local. It’s really encouraging to see that two-thirds of folk are keen to get out and support retailers in our town centres.

“But this isn’t just about recovering from the pandemic, let’s use recent events as an opportunity to change how we shop and from now on, let’s always think local first.”

www.bestsmallshops.co.uk

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Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspapers - the Fife Free Press, Fife Herald, St Andrews Citizen and East Fife Mail.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Allan Crow, Editor, Fife Free Press