Walking into Woking yesterday really made me notice the geography of town centres and where the different kinds of shops are located. The pedestrianised town centre, close to the car parks, is where the chain shops are, probably because of the higher rents charged. But the smaller shops tend to be outside the town centre, either on the streets leading to it or else on suburban high streets. In other words, local shops are the shops you can walk to – better for you and better for the environment.
For my family, being walking distance from shops and services is an important consideration. My partner doesn’t drive but we both agree that the family shouldn’t have to rely on me and the car for every journey. We only have one car so if it’s at the garage or snowed in, we have to walk to buy the things we need. As my children get older, I’d like them to be able to learn about independence and going out by themselves; trips to a local shop is a great way to start this off – they can go alone, be back within a short space of time and the shopkeeper might be a friendly face too!
I’m sure we’re not the only family thinking like this. Support your local shops, keep them open and BUY LOCAL!
