Whitehaven wine shop's plea to shop local to save high streets

Gerard Richardson has run his wine shop in Whitehaven for 27 years

A shop owner has urged people to buy locally to save high-street businesses at risk of going bust.

Richardson's in Whitehaven, Cumbria, posted on social media asking people to "help stop the rot".

The post added: "Just the odd crumb of support would be lovely - HELP."

Owner Gerard Richardson, 60, said he understood "money was tight" but online retailers were "busier than ever" and delivery drivers had told him sales were increasing.

News about the cost of living crisis had caused spending habits to change "literally overnight", he said.

"Everyone is in a blind panic," he said.

"We're telling everyone, constantly, 24/7, you're skint and, if you're not skint yet, you're going to be skint."

Even people who were not struggling were now turning to supermarkets and online, without thinking about the effect on high street shops, which employ "your neighbours and your friends", he said.

Richardson's was paid a visit by presenter Simon Reeve, left, on his television tour through Cumbria

Mr Richardson said for weeks his turnover had been less than the shop cost to run and, on the day of his appeal, he took less than £40.

But it had an "immediate effect" and led to his first two days of profit for four months.

"To be honest I could cry," he said.

He described "realising that people are still there", after thinking he had been "abandoned" by the community he had done so much for that he was made an MBE in 2011.

He has organised events in the town since he opened his shop in 1995 and, despite a cancer diagnosis, had been "trying to keep going" and plan a fireworks display for Christmas.

"The town is wonderful, they turn out in their droves to support the things you do," he said.

"I'm asking for help and I'm not just asking for me but for all my neighbouring businesses."

The owner of RB Woodall in Waberthwaite said she was also seeing a steep decline in trade

The fastest cost of living increase in nearly 40 years is putting a strain on household budgets with supermarket chain Tesco saying shoppers were "watching every penny".

Joyce Hadwin, who owns RB Woodhall in Waberthwaite, said some customers may not realise how close shops were to closure because enough local people were using them.

Income from the tourist season had, in the past, carried them through less busy periods but that financial cushion had been lost during the pandemic, she said.

Despite a package of support announced in September for businesses her monthly energy bills were now about £2,500 and increasing, she added.

"It is a daily struggle," she said.

"This winter will test us."