Please please try and help your small local shops..

[Confuzzeled]

This is a plea from a small business owner. It has been a hard year for us all and the weather hasn't helped.

But if you do one thing this Christmas, buy even just one gift from a small independent shop. It would help families like mine instead of lining the pockets of rich investors.

I have one friend who did all her Christmas shopping at Tesco Direct. She is always complaining that there is not enough choice for clothes shops or toy shops locally, but there certainly won't be if she buys everything at Tesco.

Pretty please with sparkly magic dust on top.

Spent just over £36 in my local store today... much nicer shopping - and quicker as well, than going to Sainsburys (which I do far too often as it's close to the gym). Must try to shop local much more.

Lunchtime - sausages from the local butchers (which is shut on Sundays... but the local supermarket over the road sells their products - a good partnership between local retailers).

I will use a small independent shop if it sells items that are unavailable elsewhere and the price is acceptable.

In my area ( close to Bluewater, so probably why ) there are very, very few shops like this. Its a non issue when people say use it or lose it, as we have already lost it.

However, we do have a village grocer that I make sure I use regularly, as I appreciate the convenience. Especially when the village is snowed in.

In general, I do 90 percent of my shopping online.