High Streets are the heart of communities. Small independent shops and cafes give character to towns and bring local people together. These traditional business centres form the social glue of towns. Barry is no exception, and our High Streets are worth protecting for future generations.
There can be no doubt that High Streets across the country have declined over many years as a result of new technology. Motorcars gave rise to out-of-town shopping and made larger supermarkets viable, and now the internet is ushering in a new consumer revolution that is changing how we shop forever.
These structural changes to the retail economy, can and have been survived by many High Streets. Here on High Street in Barry, where my office is based, I can see independent traders who are beating the internet. They are doing so by offering high-quality service and often the sort of goods that are best bought in person, such as meat at Vic Hopkins butchers, or scented candles in the Smelly Shop. And however impressive digital technology becomes, it can’t replace the local café or deli counter.
The challenge for politicians is not to add to the challenges already faced by High Streets, and to remove obstacles to the success of independent traders. The first major issue for High Streets is attracting motorists, so ensuring free parking spaces is vital. I took part in the campaign to prevent parking charges in Holton Road last year and saw that traders working together can force an anti-business local authority to back down.
I am also very pleased that the Welsh Government will soon be following the UK Government’s lead and reducing rates for small businesses, allowing traders to secure and grow their shops and cafes.
Everybody wanting to see our High Streets thrive should back them where it counts, by using them. As we approach small business Saturday I will be encouraging the whole community to get behind our traders. Let’s preserve these vital local institutions for the long-term.