Poem highlights importance of small businesses

Topher Chard's poem has gained traction on social media

A small business owner has written a poem highlighting the challenges facing shops in his home town, and encouraging locals to use them.

Topher Chard's poem is about Newquay, where he runs two cafes, and is also the founder of Salt'd Surf Collective, and has been shared widely on social media.

Mr Chard said small businesses were the "heartbeat" of the town and poems "reach parts of the soul that a written paragraph wouldn't do".

His Ode to Newquay begins: "In Newquay's heart, where waves do crash, small businesses bloom in a vibrant flash.

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"The cafe on the corner, the shop down the street, eat your heartbeat, where locals meet, from surfboards to coffee, from art to the shore, they bring life to this town always more."

Mr Chard said: "I think poems spark emotion in a different way.

"It would be easy to write a motivational speech asking everyone to come and spend money locally but i think a poem kind of reaches parts of the soul and the mind that a written paragraph wouldn't do."

"We, like a lot of small businesses put people before profits. We don't value the making of millions of pounds, we just want to see people be able to afford small luxuries like a cup of coffee but also spend time with their friends and family, and enjoy the community together."

'Support of our residents'

Responding to the poem, Mark Warren from the Newquay Business Improvement District team, said: "Our high street is the heart of Newquay.

"Without the support of our residents, these businesses can't survive, especially during the off-season."

Neven Vukasovic, owner of the Cornish Sweet Shop on Bank Street, said: "I think the poem is fantastic and I think this is just the right time to put it up as well. It is a reminder to all of us and our community that we all need help, and we all need to stick together, especially in the winter months.

"We really need our people - we need our community."

He said the quieter winter months were "very difficult" when "we need our locals to help us a little bit more because we don't want our high street to die".

Nineteen-year-old Josh Griffiths, who runs Proper Photography on Crantock Street, said: "People think they can get a better deal online, but that's not always true.

"It's encouraging to see new customers coming in after seeing the post, choosing to shop locally instead of online."