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Stephanie Smith, Archway Market founder, and Absolute Print’s Hak Huseyin |
‘Recession? What recession?’ Small
shops buck the trend
Produce from small independents can be cheaper than from supermarkets, research claims
A FORMER barrister who set up a small shops home food delivery service in Highbury Barn has defied the recession by planning to go boroughwide.
Marisa Leaf, a former departmental head of human rights charity Justice, launched her distribution company last November to allow small shops to compete with supermarkets.
With a team of prominent supporters, including champion of small shops – local man Sir David Bell, chairman of the Financial Times – Marisa’s firm, Hubbub, has gone from strength to strength.
From July she is going boroughwide.
“We did a pilot scheme in Highbury Barn over Christmas,” Marisa said. “It went so well we’ve decided to carry on.
“We will have about half a dozen brilliant new small specialist shops on the books and we are planning to buy a larger delivery vehicle. The ultimate aim is to employ another driver and more office staff.”
Marisa added: “The last thing people want to give up in a recession is good quality food. And you can find some of the best produce from small specialist shops.”
She has also carried out research suggesting that prices in small shops are very competitive with the supermarkets and often cheaper.
In Archway a new shopping directory has just been launched and traders report steady business.
The booklet is paid for by the town centre management group through advertisements.
Chairman Hak Huseyin, owner of Absolute Print in Junction Road, said: “People realise just how much Archway has to offer. We have a fantastic variety of small shops and services.”
The brochure, being delivered to 5,000 shoppers, businesses and residents in the area, includes 200 listings of firms, including restaurants. It also contains discounts for food and services.
He added that he “didn’t want to sound blasé, but business is ticking along nicely”.
Stephanie Smith, founder of Archway Market in Holloway Road, said stalls reported good business as people search for bargains.
“Saturday from 10am to 5pm is our main day but a few of us are opening our stalls now on Thursdays from 11am to 6pm,” she said. “This time last year we’d just started with about eight stalls. Today we have 15, including organic bread and cheese and food from Turkey, Brazil, and the Caribbean. There are also curiosity and second-hand book stalls.”
Andrew Mortimer, chief executive of the Islington Chamber of Commerce, said: “Recession? What recession?
“I’m not pretending that it’s not tough out there. Property companies are struggling as are some retail firms. But companies that provide services are telling me they are managing to hold their own. The biggest problem is the perception by the media that it is the end of the world as we know it.
“That’s not the way I and many business people see it.
“People still need to live, eat and work. A lot of companies will survive these difficult times.”
n Hubbub (currently Highbury Barn Deliveries) can be contacted at 35a, Britannia Row, N1. 020 7609 3351.
For Archway traders go to: www.islington.gov/ shopping |
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