People urged to shop locally as Black Friday looms

Business owner Jon Drew says his business cannot compete with huge online retailers

Independent retailers in Telford and Wrekin are urging shoppers not to forget smaller vendors as online retail giants make their pitch for Black Friday custom.

Wellington, for instance, has a thriving community of independent, local businesses, and has seen more than 50 join its streets since 2019.

But as bigger online retailers tempt shoppers with pre-Christmas offers this week, business owners in the town are trying to ensure they do not miss out, with some pointing to a need for physical footfall at a time when clicks of a button receive greater focus.

Others report diversifying from a strict bricks-and-mortar experience has helped their business.

Jon Drew from the Boardroom Gaming Cafe said despite growth, the business struggled to compete with big-name vendors on the internet.

"The footfall has increased in the area, of course," he said, "but at the same time we’re finding that shopping is not as prominent as it once was, mainly because of just the ease of online shopping, and the ability to now hold your phone up and scan an item."

He added: "That’s why its so important to shop local, purely on the basis of getting people out on the high streets and into the buildings themselves."

Elisa Thomason said she had to learn new skills to compete in the online marketplace

Elisa Thomason, owner of Little Betty's Gift Company, said she had to learn new skills to compete in the online marketplace.

She started out on Etsy five years ago, but said having an online and high street presence had increased trade.

"Google seems to be doing its job, and we get lots of phone calls and collections," she said.

"Facebook seems to be doing its thing as well."

Kelly King says being online as well as having a high street presence helps her reach more customers

Kelly King started her business, the Zero Waste Little Green Pantry, on a market stall before moving into a shop thanks to a Telford and Wrekin Council grant.

She said trading online was now a major part of the business.

"That really allows people to connect with us before they even step through the door," she said.

"It’s really a permanent shop front that’s open all hours - people can go [online] and find out a bit more about us before actually coming in and shopping with us for the first time.

"I think the fact that I’m a local person and I employ local people is really key to our community."