I urge you all to join me and #supportlocal

Over the years, the Observer has made many pleas to residents to support their local shops. But none has been more heartfelt nor essential than the one we make today.

Thousands of local jobs and indeed the very survival of our high streets depends on local people taking advantage of the safe shopping protocols that have been put in place.

During lockdown, many of us turned to on-line shopping.

But the shopping experience is as much about our relationship with our community as it is about acquiring new consumer items.

Chichester District Council has been in the forefront of championing our city and town centres and today we are proud to join forces with them. We are publishing a poster which we urge you to put in your home or business window. Please display it with pride and encourage friends and neighbours to do the same.

And remember, every time you buy a copy of the Observer you are directly funding our independent journalism.

Council officers have been out visiting the district’s towns and city to assess what signage will be required and to look at what further measures may need to be introduced. The council’s economic development team has also been in touch with local businesses to find out if they are planning to reopen and to offer them the necessary support they may need.

This is make or break time for many businesses. The news today that the wonderful cathedral coffee shop is to close shows us all how much is at stake.

How dreadful it will be if our lovely shops become a wasteland and the only winner is multi-billionaires in charge of global on-line retailers. We are better than that.

As the Editor, I will be making a point of visiting as many local shops as I can.

I will #supportlocal and I urge you all to do the same.