As well as showing your partner, friends and family some love this Valentine’s Day, remember to show your local community some love too.

Current road closures on Merton Road towards South Wimbledon, expected to last until April 2020, have affected many of our independent shops, cafes and restaurants located in this area.

Today is #LoveLocalDay and Love Wimbledon is urging the people of Wimbledon to think of these businesses and make a special effort to take a few extra steps, travel further along The Broadway and support our range of fantastic local and independent stores during this time.

Ideas for how you can support these businesses:

• Grab a coffee and a cake or brunch at Bliss Cafe
• Eat delicious Italian food at La Nonna or Chinese at Confucius
• Deck out your house from Neptune, Abbotswood Flooring or Mobalpa Kitchens
• Pick up your cold remedies from Chemco Pharmacy
• Get your clothes mended or altered at Quality Stitch
• Get ready to celebrate with fancy dress getup from Wimbledon Party Shop
• Enjoy a night out with friends at Tunnel 267, Wimbledon
• Work up a sweat at Better Leisure then relax in their beautiful spa facilities

And remember, it’s even easier to get to these businesses now, as there is very little traffic (but an even nicer walk/cycle ride!) and you can still park easily in this area.

Aside from the effects of these lengthy roadworks, there are a number of reasons why you should opt to shop local. The environmental impact of shopping local is considerably lower when compared to shopping online, which is becoming increasingly relevant given the current state of climate change. When you shop online, you often receive separate packages within multiple deliveries, delivered by large trucks or vans, which typically omit higher carbon emissions. Additional packaging which includes single-use plastic, is also used in excess to protect the products delivered in these parcels. Compare this to shopping locally, where consumers tend to use their one trip to their local town centre to combine tasks, e.g. purchase presents, grab some groceries and browse through a bookstore. Local businesses are usually also smaller, produce less waste than their enormous counterparts, and buy or live locally, therefore creating less air pollution and traffic.

When you shop local, your money also stays local. In other words, rather than adding to the profits of multi-national chains, your money goes into the pockets of your neighbours in the community. By supporting your small local and independent businesses, you are strengthening the local economy.

Without the presence of these types of stores on our high streets, which often add a sense of character and diversity through their unique and artisan offering, there is the ever-growing fear that all UK high streets will eventually look and feel the same.

Wimbledon is home to a number of other small and independent businesses which you can also show your love to today, including Fayre & Square, Fielders, Aubergine Art gallery, Health Zone, Phokas Barbers and Gina Conway’s Aveda salon. And don’t forget, the Love Wimbledon monthly markets return in March, with a great range of local vendors offering up handcrafted gifts and flavourful international street food.

So show your community spirit by supporting your local business owners at this challenging time, helping the local economy and spreading the word about our brilliant town centre! #LoveLocal