Cheddar Businesses Advocate for Local Shopping Amidst “Mass Consumerism”

Retail establishments situated on a village’s main thoroughfare are advocating for local patronage, presenting this initiative as a countermeasure to the “mass consumerism” associated with Black Friday. Over twelve businesses in Cheddar, Somerset, have committed to this effort, aiming to foster community support for their operations during the ongoing cost of living crisis. This initiative forms part of the nationwide Colour Friday campaign, designed to channel the substantial sum of billions of pounds typically spent on Christmas shopping towards independent enterprises. Claire Willcox, who owns the Bouquet Florist in Cheddar, stated: “As a small business owner, these are really hard times.” She further commented: “Sometimes we need to be honest and say it’s difficult.” Holly Tucker, the founder of Colour Friday, explained that the event originated from her observation of the positive influence that backing local businesses has on individuals’ lives. “When consumers take a moment to think and vote with their money for something they believe in, they can change lives,” Ms Tucker remarked. She added: “Our small businesses bring colour to our towns and also to our shopping.” Katrina Atkinson operates the Art School Cheddar, an establishment providing creative instruction for children. Ms Atkinson commented: “You could say I’m always trying to bring colour to the world, and it’s Colour Friday.” She also stated: “Personally, I think it would be really sad losing independent businesses.” She concluded: “It’s integral for the community and to get local people feeling part of the community.” Ms Willcox further mentioned that proprietors of small businesses experience “sleepless nights” due to increasing expenses. She stated: “We’re a mother-and-daughter team running a flower shop.” She continued: “We’ve run the business for the last 10 years, we’ve been involved with the local community for a while now.” She emphasized: “We really need people to support your local businesses.” For updates, follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.