Let’s not lose precious high street trader

I’ve just been talking to Belinda Murray, of Herbaceous on Oxford Street.

She tells me she is thinking of closing down, the reason being that she is finding it hard to make a living any more.

She’s a qualified herbalist. Trying to run the shop has distracted her from her main vocation.

During the Oyster Festival she had one of her windows broken, while, in another incident, somebody stole a handful of jewellery.

The Oyster Festival wasn’t the boost it usually is. Instead, it cost her this year, and not just in earnings: in peace of mind and a sense of security too.

To the vandals who broke her window and the thieves who stole her rings: you are a bunch of blazing idiots. I would use stronger language, but this is a family paper. How brave of you to target an independent trader. Belinda is a credit to our town.

I suspect that Herbaceous isn’t the only shop which is experiencing difficulties at the moment. The supermarkets are beginning to crowd in on our High Street while rents are going through the roof.

Belinda tells me that she feels sure that spies from the supermarkets visit her every so often to check on her stock and to lower their prices accordingly.

This is trouble with the multinationals. Maybe they appear cheaper in the short term, but they use their financial muscle to stifle the competition, and, once they have a monopoly, they are able to raise their prices again.

Herbaceous sells health and organic food, herbs and spices, jewellery and various crafted goods.

Belinda is generally very competitive but says that a lot of people pass by her shop because they don’t know what to expect.

Once they step over the threshold, however, and discover what she has on offer, they usually come again. She calls this her “herbaceous border”.

So if anyone can give her advice, or ideas to help her find her “unique selling point”, then pop in the shop and talk to her. You might even find you want to buy something.

It would be a pity if Herbaceous were to close. The town is losing its personality as a centre for independent retail.

It’s up to all of us to help keep the diversity of Whitstable’s High Street alive against the fierce competition of the supermarkets.

For more information go to the Herbaceous website at: http://www.herbsandremedies.com/