With that in mind and in the interests of balance, we thought it was about time to do a blog post on the things we've had to do without or have struggled to find during our little and local month.
Music
Seriously, is there ANYWHERE left to buy music that isn't online or in a supermarket? We've had a month with no downloads and we're even stuck for buying lovely Niece No 1's specially requested birthday present - a Pop Party 11 CD.
It'll have to be a locally purchased gift plus a cheque so that she can buy the CD herself. By the way, if anyone has any ideas for a brilliant present for a singing, dancing 11 year old that we can buy little and local, all suggestions gratefully received!
Technology
I nearly slipped up the other day and bought an app online but caught myself just in time. I wanted a barcode scanner for my phone to test some technology we want to use in the shop. It's hard to believe that Apple's App Store was only launched in 2008. Five years on, downloading apps is such an integral part of life for most of us that we barely give it a second thought.
Petrol
Back in 2006 or 7 (not sure which), the comedian Dave Gorman travelled across America from coast to coast, trying not to give any money to the man.
As he puts it:
In other words, no Holiday Inns, no Best Westerns and no Comfort Suites. No Shells, no Arcos and no BP gas stations. No MacDonalds, no Starbucks and no chains of any kind. Just Mom & Pop businesses all the way.The resulting film and book, America Unchained, are well worth checking out. But my main point is that it's absolutely incredible that he managed to fill up at independently owned petrol stations across the country. I'm not sure if he'd get past Grimsby if he tried it here. And we have failed miserably in this area too. Apart from the accidental Wickes incident, it's the only area that has completely stumped us. And hopefully you'll forgive us for cheating a little here - it's impossible to run a business without being mobile.
Clothes
Now there are a lot of independent clothes shops in Beverley. And good ones too. Like Teatree Bay on Toll Gavel.
In fact, there are so many that they deserve their own blog post really, which I'll try and get sorted.
The fault is not with them, it's with me. I hate clothes shopping and I'm lazy. Not a great combination. Add to that my less than svelte figure and slightly odd shape and you end up with a clothes shopping nightmare. I generally put it off so I just haven't done any this month. This despite the fact that I have a hole in my favourite jeans which is threatening to become indecent.
I am ashamed to admit that I assume that I won't be able to find what I want in my size in a little & local so I don't bother looking. As an independent retailer I can tell you that it's like a knife in the heart every time someone says to you "Oh, I didn't know you stock that, I bought mine online/at John Lewis/in York" (delete as appropriate). And yet, I'm basically doing the same thing. Shame on me. I promise to try harder.
And despite sitting here racking my brains for the last 5 minutes, I really can't thing of anything else that has been really challenging. We're so lucky. Beverley's got all most of our everyday needs covered with little & local restaurants, take-aways, food shops (which we've written about quite a lot!), gift shops (there's a great one called Amanti in Wednesday Market, I hear), shoe and clothes shops, hardware and even a Chemist (Spinks on Albert Terrace). And as for our occasional needs and wants - you can even buy furniture, curtains, white goods and jewellery (special occasion or otherwise) from a fine little and local establishment. Cool, huh?
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