"Keep Trade Local" Manifesto

5.37.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 21st Jul 2008

Local Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, Richard Burt, is backing the Federation of Small Business's Keep Trade Local manifesto, calling for government action to halt the decline of independent small businesses in our high streets and villages.

Their six point manifesto aims to give local business a fighting chance against supermarket giants Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda and Morrisons, who between them have a combined share of 75.6% of the total UK grocery market.

Richard Burt said:"The dominance of the out of town shopping centres with free car parking makes it so much more difficult for local business's to survive.

The average person travels 893 miles a year to shop for food, and this year's big hike in car parking charges locally only makes matters worse. It encourages people to drive away from local shops for the convenience of the out of town store.

"Over 50% of the turnover of independent retailers goes back into the local community, compared to just 5% from supermarkets. Furthermore, the carbon footprint, per square metre, of a small shop is a fraction of that of a supermarket.

"2000 local shops are closing each year and the trend is accelerating. Without measures to give small, independent business a fighting chance, many more of our communities will soon be without local services.

To sign the Keep Trade Local petition, visit http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/keeptradelocal/