LB First column: A lifeline when times are hard
It's always great to see the colourful bunting and flags go up in the town centre, just like the first blossom, a sign of spring and the start of lots of events and activities throughout the year to look forward to.
But like the cold, stiff breeze that was making the flags flutter, it was perhaps a reminder that the repercussions of the war in the Middle East was beginning to be felt here, with rising fuel prices and borrowing costs just the start of the fallout from this conflict.
Naturally the fear for many High Streets is fewer customers with less money to spend as well as rising overheads such as energy costs, but small businesses can sometimes prove to be the most adaptable and resilient during tough times, being able to offer products and services at affordable prices responding to customers needs.
Traditionally this is where market traders would be able to grow their customer base as people look for cheaper alternatives, different ranges of goods and products but still decent quality, and as in our case supplied on a regular twice weekly basis, Tuesdays and Saturdays, with once a month farmers and craft market alongside the charter market.
When you add in the many events that take place in town throughout the year adding entertainment as well as the variety of small, independent shops it may well make some people have a rethink about where they shop, reconnecting and building that rapport with local traders who will get to know and understand your needs and wants, providing quality and value for money.
This is why LB First is working with Centrebus and Central Bedfordshire Council on a special promotional offer, to be launched in the coming weeks, whereby people who come into town by bus can get some money off offers with the participating businesses when they present a valid bus ticket or bus pass.
Just one of the incentives and schemes we are working on and hopefully more to come, so keep an eye out. We all remember during Covid how the market traders and small businesses were a lifeline, so keep using and supporting them because with the current implications with this war we are going to need them again.
For more information contact Gennaro on 01525 854273 and LB First Facebook page.