It's time to Think Local
That is what the Western Morning News saw when it visited the fiercely independent market town – and the economic, social and environmental benefits are why we are urging readers to do the same in their community: Think Local.
Following the £10 in Tavistock is illuminating.
A humble Cornish pasty bought at The Original Pasty House is good for long-standing town butchers Paul and Jenny Howell, who supply the meat filling, and Gulworthy farmer Colin Edwards, who in turn is the Howells' main supplier.
Supply chain aside, local traders intuitively Think Local. Be it a coffee and sandwich at lunch, a new suit or a fresh lick of paint, independents tend to support each other.
This is good for local jobs and reduces carbon emissions, and the modest £10 spend has now passed through more than just the shopkeeper's till by touching local shopfitters and accountants as well.
In troubled economic times, we can all make a difference. Money that is spent with locally embedded firms stays longer in – and works harder for – the local economy.
If every household, business, local authority and organisation in Devon and Cornwall spent 80 per cent of their disposable income locally, that would mean as much as £10 billion circulating around the local economy.
As such, the WMN today launches a credit crunch-busting campaign urging readers to support local businesses in everything they do. As the stormclouds of recession break over the Westcountry, we urge communities to hark back to the days before the march of the supermarkets and the advent of the clone town, and back businesses on their doorstep to provide a welcome boost to the region's economy.
Our Think Local campaign is a relaunch of the WMN's award-winning Buy Local drive, which championed Devon and Cornwall's dedicated army of food producers. But this time, we are widening the remit to include all traders, services and businesses.
Tavistock, a hive of independent grocers, food shops and non-food retailers, is a microcosm of this ethos. With institutions like N H Creber Ltd, established in 1881, in rude health while selling a dizzying range of jams and pickles, it is little wonder that McDonald's has been boarded up since last year.
"People come to Tavistock because it's unique," said owner Robert Creber, the fourth generation of the family to run the shop, which sells everything from Japanese whisky to Cornish water.
"Without the independents, this would be a another stereotypical high street. It needs independents, and we need people to support us."
That Tavistock can sustain a 900-year-old pannier market and was voted Britain's top market town in 2004 is symptomatic of the strong bond between the consumer and local firms.
The WMN campaign has already won strong support from the business community, including tourism and manufacturing. And food and drink will still be high on the agenda.
John Sheaves, chief executive of Taste of the West, which is working in partnership with the WMN on the campaign, said it was "absolutely crucial" to take action now, as recession began to really bite. The impact of the Buy Local campaign had been "incredible", but he stressed that more work was needed in areas which would also be targeted through Think Local.
"We have evolved a great deal on the retail front, but we have an awful lot left to do in terms of food service, in particular in pubs, cafes, hotels, restaurants and bars," he said. "Schools, hospitals and other public sector organisations could also do more in terms of supporting local businesses."
Michael Dart, of Dart's Farm, near Exeter, said that for the region to move forward, it was time to take a step back to an era before goods and services were imported from all over the world.
"We firmly believe globalisation hasn't worked at all," he said. "Unfortunately, the financial bubble has burst and people are wondering how it happened. We believe the local economy – what we call the real economy – is heading down that same road if we aren't careful.
"It's time consumers and, most important, the Government, realise that and change their priorities."
Bob Lindo, of Camel Valley Wines at Bodmin in Cornwall, said tapping into the local network made conducting business hassle-free.
"We can get anything locally, and very quickly," he said. "I advise anyone to investigate the local network, because I think they will be amazed at how much more simple it is to get things done."
As part of the campaign, the WMN will profile partnerships which promote a good example of how links within communities can boost jobs and wages.
The campaign will also focus on areas where readers can improve the quality of their lives through exploring all their local area has to offer.
Nicola Poultney, chief executive of destination marketing organisation Discover Devon, described the campaign as "absolutely brilliant". She said a thriving tourism economy had a knock-on effect for all sectors, particularly if the money stayed within communities.
"Something like this touches everyone," she said. "If we want the county to be a year-round destination, everyone has to support local attractions."
Phil Knowling, of Paignton Zoo, said the South Devon attraction already enjoyed strong support from nearby residents, with 10,000 annual memberships offering unlimited access.
"We take our place locally very seriously," he added. "The zoo is a national attraction, but everything is rooted in the local area. It's incredibly important that local people visit us. If you don't use what's available on your own doorstep, you are missing out."
The campaign has drawn full support from Ben Bradshaw, Exeter MP and Minister for the South West, who said: "It is in all our interests that good local businesses get through the current downturn.
"The recent exchange rate changes should make domestically sourced products more attractive compared with imported ones and also be a boost for local businesses that export.
"It should also make our services, including tourism, more attractive to both domestic and overseas customers. I am forever telling anyone who will listen about the great products and services we have here in the South West – it's great to see the WMN running this campaign."
The issue of supporting local businesses will be taken up in Parliament today when Chancellor Alistair Darling is expected to unveil a package of measures to boost small businesses while offering tax cuts to put money back into people's pockets to spend locally.
Ahead of the pre-Budget report, the Campaign to Protect Rural England called for increased business rate relief for rural and small businesses.
Tom Oliver, head of rural policy, said: "Seeing small shops closed down and boarded up on local streets would sap consumer confidence as well as destroying the heart of many communities.
"It is time for joined-up thinking so that people can reach shops healthily by walking and cycling – not just by carbon-hungry car trips."
With his tenner in Tavistock, and surrounded by town traders, is the WMN's Graeme Demianyk
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