TRUDY MORRIS: Pulling together to build a strong community in the north Highlands
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Trudy Morris, chief executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, highlights the value of shopping local this Christmas and beyond
The trees are up, the lights are on, and a warm welcome is in place along the high street. The excitement in the air may just weave a spell of nostalgia as we recall fondly the festive frivolities of years gone by.
However, town centres – including our own in the north Highlands – have struggled for many years due to lack of footfall and increase in online shopping.
Independent businesses are the backbone of our local communities and economies and it’s important they too aren’t swept away to memory.
Throughout the challenges faced in the last few years, our local businesses have demonstrated extraordinary resilience, drive and adaptability – going above and beyond to put customers’ needs first and delivering innovative services and solutions for our community.
This festive season, the stark reality is that faced by rising inflation, increasing energy costs and an immediate cost-of-living crisis, many of our local retailers and hospitality businesses will be feeling the chill in what should be their busiest time of the year.
For consumers, shopping locally and supporting local businesses where possible is more important than ever. Caught up in the Christmas rush, it’s easy to forget that behind each cosy café window, twinkling shop front and carefully curated menu are the dreams and labours of real people.
For them, building relationships between local businesses and customers is so much more than just a transaction. With intimate knowledge of their communities, local businesses personally respond to their own customers’ demands rather than using central management that is led by national trends.
With a focus on quality, independently owned businesses are leading the way with originality, personality and unbeatable customer service.
There is a tendency to consider “thinking locally” as a lifestyle choice, but in fact it is a vital investment in our whole community’s welfare and future. Thinking locally can help cut journeys and emissions, improve health and wellbeing, protect employment and build a sustainable economy.
In simplest terms this means more jobs, better facilities and a nicer place for us all to live and work. Ultimately, we are stronger together and for rural communities’ independent businesses are at the heart of rural resilience.
Caithness Chamber of Commerce continues to work closely with its 225 members to be the voice of business in the north Highlands. Ongoing support past the festive season and beyond is needed to help keep businesses going into next year and beyond.
For us this means advocacy and galvanising support and action. The chamber’s strapline is "Stronger Together" and time and time again we have seen the outworking of this spirit of "togetherness" in our community.
We are all being impacted by the cost-of-living and energy crises, some undoubtedly more than others, however this Christmas and into 2023 and beyond, where we can, let’s think about shopping local and supporting our community. We are, after all, in it together.
