What They Said: Vox Pop On Supporting Local Shops

writes Claira Cinnamond. Supermarket chains tend to dominate trade in communities when they set up shop, and in Newcastle, Ballynahinch and Downpatrick, and other provincial towns around Down, there is a growing Angst about the further development of large supermarket shopping areas further putting local, small business people under more pressure. To get an idea of how the people of Down feel about this issue, Down News took to the streets and asked several shoppers and visitors in Newcastle’s Main Street how important they felt local businesses were to small towns and how far we should go to support them. One Newcastle Resident was adamant that in Newcastle it was difficult to support local business as she said, “We do not have the right kind of shops and there is no indoor shopping centre. There is alsoxa0 very little parking in the town and when people are busy working the convenience of big supermarkets wins out.” However, Mr and Mrs Willis (Lisburn) said, xa0“We actually come to Newcastle to shop about twice a week. In Lisburn with the shopping mall there are no good shops and you really miss the personal touch of independent local traders.”