Friday 2nd May 2008
Small retailers 'crucial to Britain'
 Small and independent retailers play a huge part in UK GDP and job creation, but new data shows that they are not spread evenly around the country.
According to the Barclays Small Business report, the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea features alongside Brighton and Cheltenham as national locations with the highest concentration of antique and second-hand shops, rising four times above the national average.
Meanwhile, Coventry showed the highest proportion of off licences, while Leicester had the most supermarkets and food shops, and Liverpool had the most newsagents.
John Davis, marketing director of Barclays Local Business, said: "Most of us have had experiences of trying to track down a plumber or electrician and this analysis highlights where different business types dominate.
However, what the report really shows is just how important small businesses are to the country as a whole. For instance, whether it is going to the local for a pint, on holiday to a B&B or to the newsagent for a paper, all these services which we take for granted are provided by small business people up and down the country."
He added that small independent retailers and other small businesses are responsible for more than half of the UK's GDP, making them indispensable to the country's day to day health.
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Retail jobs created in Blackpool 04/07/2008 (12:00)
Jobs in retail will be available in Blackpool when a budget hardware store opens next week, reports the Blackpool Gazette. Over 40 jobs in retail will be created when Home Bargains moves into the former Somerfield...
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