Buy Local Norfolk

A bit more than a list of places to shop

Having spent a couple of days holiday in Sunny Suffolk I have had time to think a bit more about buying locally. The reason for the visit to my parents was to have some photos taken of my mum and dad with our children at a fantastic photographers in Felixstowe called Studio Bushfire. Upon reflection I think that Rob and I are a lot better at supporting local businesses than we give ourselves credit for - for most service items for both Scotts Field Pork and Artichoke we always chose a local supplier over a national one where possible and at home, food apart, the majority of our family spend whether it be meals out or new shoes is spent at local restaurants and shops.

The one big exception to this is I am the Amazon Queen! Trying to be a full time mum, running my own business as well as helping with Scotts Field Pork means that I have very little free time and the little I have I would prefer not to be pounding the streets looking for new computers, kids books or shop fittings...so I reach for my little helper - Amazon and it works every time!

My resolution is to wean myself away - I am sure I can find plenty of web based businesses that support the local economy if I look a little harder. This was proven to me last night when I was researching EPOS systems for Artichoke  - there is a business less than five miles away from our house that sells them online - something I would not have bothered to find out about if I had not signed up to @buylocalNorfolk.

A bit about Food

On the way back from boating on Thorpeness Mere this afternoon we stopped at Stuston Farm Shop near Diss for supplies - I have a sneaking suspicion they are in Suffolk rather than Norfolk but as they stock Scotts Field Pork they cant be all bad!

Jeremy has just won a local sausage making competition using  our pork with his pepper and mace sausage which we will be having for tea tomorrow. Also grabbed some beautiful locally grown strawberries & veg, locally made bread, and locally produced milk and cream spending no more than you would in a mid range supermarket. Although not on a main road the farm shop at Stuston is always busy and the fact that they offer great food at a reasonable price is probably why. 

....and convenience

We get most of our fuel at our local Whittington Garage which is situated on the A134 between Thetford and Kings Lynn. Whilst many local garages struggle this one is always busy so I thought I would have a quick chat with the owner Derick to find out the secret of his success which he says is convenience. Unlike many other garages he keeps the price of his fuel roughly in line with the supermarkets which means that locals like us are not tempted to drive the 20 or so miles to refuel at one and whilst we are at his garage buying fuel it is convenient for us to buy our lottery tickets, milk, beer etc. This local business is successful because it does what it says on the tin - it is a convenience store that also offers great service with a friendly smile.

Buy Local Norfolk

Day One......

has been easier than I thought it would be. Last night I was panicking slightly that I had not been able to find a reasonably priced gazebo locally and thought that the judges we are expecting for The EDP Food Awards on Wednesday might be sheltering from the rain in our stock trailer! On the way to Artichoke this morning I had a brainwave - I could pop into Norwich Camping & Leisure at Blofield to get the gazebo and get supper from Blofield Farm Shop thus killing two birds with one stone. We have just finished our roast chicken which was delicous.

Tomorrow Georgie, Paddy & I are off to stay with my parents in Suffolk overnight coming back to Norfolk via The Mere at Thorpeness so will be looking for butchers, bakers and candlestick makers near Diss (if my geography is right).

One thought if you are looking for electrical items and white goods and want to support a local supplier  have a look at BB Adams Direct - a web based company operated from Hockering.

Enjoy your Shop Local Norfolk week - we will be back with an update on Wednesday.

Buy Local Norfolk 

Following on from the visit to parliament in March The Buy Local Norfolk Team are asking us all to get involved with their project this month by spending one week avoiding all national retailers and buying everything that we need from our local shopkeepers. Something that we all applaud and I am sure a lot of us kid ourselves that we already do!

Until a couple of years ago both Rob and I both made sure that we supported local food businesses for everything that we did not rear or grow ourselves however like many others recent cost and time pressures have meant that slowly we have drifted away from this principle and now a lot of the time we echo Ruth and David of Archer fame in that we produce great food whilst living on supermarket pizza. We are not quite that bad but I  am sure you get the drift!!!!

Since reading about the challenge on Twitter I have been looking forward to this week as I am sure that with just a little re-tweaking of the way as a family we work and shop we can get back to supporting our local retailers. Something that as Norfolk food producers we obviously should do. We will be in good  company as I think all the Norfolk MPs including our own Elizabeth Truss are taking up the challenge too.

If you would like to get involved have a look at @buylocalnorfolk on Twitter.

The Simonds Family Buy Local Norfolk week starts tomorrow, Sunday 29th July  - as I usually shop on a Sunday my cupboards are truly bare - the only thing I have cheated on is a stash of our usual washing powder!

Both Rob and I are working tomorrow and as we live in rural West Norfolk most of the High Street shops will be shut so our first day's efforts may well be supporting the local Chinese takeout in Stoke Ferry - watch this space!