7 great reasons to shop local in Caterham Valley
Caterham Valley For You is calling on everyone to make 2020 the year we all love local and shop local a little more.
Here in Caterham Valley, we are lucky to have a number of businesses that have been part of the fabric of our town for decades. We have also had new and exciting businesses adding to the “high street” mix and helping to attract visits from people who live elsewhere in Surrey. Furthermore, we have award-winning professional services on hand to offer expert advice, from chartered surveyors, accountants and solicitors to recruitment companies.
These businesses are key to helping us all to build a thriving and vibrant Surrey community here in Caterham Valley.
We hope you will join us this year in celebrating all Caterham Valley’s shops and businesses, as well as the people who work so hard to have a positive impact on our town.
Reasons to shop local:
Your Caterham economy
All around Britain, local businesses remain the backbone of our day-to-day economy. Some people refer to the ‘local multiplier effect’, where spending money with local businesses rather than international online retailers helps to keep money in an area and in turn helps that area to grow. In effect, as well as creating jobs, local shop and business owners and their employees put their money back into the community in places like pubs, coffee shops, restaurants and other local businesses. It’s no different here in Caterham. So if you’re thinking of a quick bargain buy on Amazon or any other online retailer, do have a think about visiting a local shop first instead.
Employment opportunities
A thriving high street with lots of local businesses means more Caterham Valley jobs. This has a strong and positive overall effect on the health of a town and its surrounding area.
Caterham Characters
Many businesses in Caterham Valley have been serving our town’s residents and visitors for decades. Local families have passed their trusted business recommendations down through the generations, pointing children and in turn grandchildren towards businesses who are known to go the extra mile given the opportunity. Caterham business owners also regularly support the local events and charities that help to make our community a vibrant one, whether that’s through financial sponsorship or sharing their knowledge and time.
Your shopping experience
You just can’t beat the personal shopping experience of speaking to a local business owner who knows everyone in the neighbourhood. It is also worth remembering that local shops often stock an inventory based on their own customer’s choices rather than general national fashion trends. Whether you’re sorting your mortgage, updating your wardrobe, buying flowers or getting your hair cut, it’s always good to know that the people serving you may be able to point out another hidden gem to visit only metres away.
A healthier environment
Many businesses are making efforts to go green; some are even pushing towards zero waste; and by shopping local in your home town you can help to reduce emissions and traffic heading to out of town superstores. Take a walk along Caterham Valley’s streets and you can buy ingredients for supper, enjoy coffee and cake, buy homewares, fashion and art work, have a drink with friends and much, much more.
New entrepreneurs
Launching a small business takes hard work, planning and creativity, and many small business owners are dedicated entrepreneurs whose ideas can help to build a vibrant and flourishing town. By supporting small businesses you are allowing more entrepreneurs to get their foot in the door, which helps to build a healthier local economy. You never know where the next great idea or flash of inspiration might come from. Caterham Valley to the world…
A Caterham identity
A healthy view of independent businesses can almost help to create tourist destinations in their own right – whether that’s corners of towns with added cafe culture, jewellery shop lanes and antiques hot spots. A “high street” filled with unique, vibrant and colourful shops helps to attract more visitors, as well as improving the area as a place to live and work. In Caterham, we’re lucky to have a number of independent businesses that have served generations of families in the area, and we hope more and more new and up-and-coming businesses will join them in the coming years.
Finally, to get a quick taste of just some of the shops and businesses on offer here in Caterham Valley, please visit our business directory. We will be running interviews with the people behind Caterham Valley’s businesses, news about their success stories and celebrations and chatting to residents who love our town on this website throughout 2020 (and onwards!).
