Blogs
Benefits of Supporting Local Businesses
We have another great guest blog from LockHouse Escape Games - a proud local business in Cambridge! This week they are talking about some of the ways in which small businesses are a crucial part of the local community.
Energising the economy
Local businesses form a significant part of the UK economy. As of 2018, small businesses accounted for 99.3% of the UK’s private sector businesses, as well as making up 60% of all private sector employment. In other words, local businesses are significant creators of jobs — and they’re also more likely to hire people who live locally, as opposed to relying on people commuting in long distances. What’s more, the money you spend at a local business is far more likely to stay in the community. The people who live and work at local businesses spend their money locally, and local businesses are also more likely than big businesses to shop locally in turn. This is also better for the environment, since sourcing locally reduces the carbon footprint of supplies, products, and produce! So local businesses put money back into the community, strengthening the local economy and helping it continue to grow.
Local relationships
Local businesses don’t only build a stronger economy — they also build a stronger community. Relationships between small businesses are important in creating a cohesive, welcoming community identity, with businesses supporting each other.
LockHouse is committed to building local links. We value our relationship with Heffers, supporting their fantastic board games section; we’ve also got a great relationship with businesses up and down Regent Street. LockHouse’s weekly RPG nights are hosted just across the road by the wonderful Grain and Hop Store, and we’re working on something extra special with De Luca that you can find out about in the New Year! We’ve collaborated with The North Pole in offering competition prizes for seasonally fun experiences. LockHouse also provides prizes and raffle items for local schools and charities. We’re super enthusiastic about working with Cambridge BID as they support local businesses in Cambridge, and proud to have won the BID’s award for Best Overall Customer Experience in the Leisure/Attraction category for 2019!
A part of the community
Our favourite thing about small businesses, and the thing we’re most proud of here at LockHouse, is the difference in customer service that a local business can provide. Local businesses are run by local people, who care about the community and want to support it. You can expect the staff of a local business to be truly committed to and enthusiastic about their business, working hard to make it the best that it can be with a genuine emotional connection to the business and the community.
Another effect of this is that small businesses are also more accountable to the community they’re a part of. The people who make decisions regarding the business are a lot more accessible — rather than being in some far-distant office, they’re around to engage with customers first-hand, meaning that local businesses are more in tune with what their customers think and feel. Reviews of LockHouse frequently mention how much difference the staff made to their experience. The people who work here are always ready to share local knowledge, aiming to listen to what our customers want and make sure that everyone’s visit to Cambridge is as brilliant as it can possibly be.
A unique experience
In shopping locally, not only are you helping to strengthen the local economy, but you’re more likely to find original and unique products! Rather than the same standard product or experience that a chain provides, local businesses can give you something that you couldn’t find anywhere else in the world. Local competition gives the economy a kick, not only of profit, but of innovation, with small businesses constantly looking for new and exciting ways to grow.
One of the most common questions we get asked here at LockHouse is whether our escape rooms are a part of a chain — the answer is no, they’re unique! While some of the components come from specialised escape room suppliers, we’ve built our own stories around them, coming up with our own clues, and designing/building puzzles ourselves in store. This means that if you play one of our games, whether you’re exploring an Egyptian tomb, a villain’s secret lair or a space station, you’re guaranteed to find original puzzles and game components to make your game a truly unique experience.
The diversity of local businesses is a reflection of the diversity of the community that creates them. Cambridge’s range of local businesses helps transform the city’s streets, building a local character that’s original and vibrant. Whether you’re a local or one of the many visitors and tourists, we truly believe that Cambridge is a better and more interesting place thanks to its small business community.
Find out more about LockHouse Escape Games on our website at lockhouse.co.uk. If you’re a local business looking to build a relationship with us, contact admin@lockhouse.co.uk — we’d love to hear from you!
In shopping locally, not only are you helping to strengthen the local economy, but you’re more likely to find original and unique products!
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