Sheffield residents share what they think councillors should improve to protect local businesses
Local businesses are the backbone of many towns and cities but many face huge challenges
The local elections have been at the forefront of the news agenda throughout recent weeks.
They play an important role in the landscape of each city throughout the country and are crucial in influencing big decisions like roadworks, parking, green spaces and in some cases even the future of local businesses.
Shops, restaurants, bars and many other forms of local businesses are the backbone of towns and cities like Sheffield and are very much key in making the city centre and the wider suburbs thrive for both locals and visitors.
However, many businesses throughout the city, including those in student hotspot Broomhill, have faced challenges ranging from rising rent costs to issues such as parking which impact an area's ability to attract customers.
The owner of Good Taste, Jenny Coleman, told us their bills catapulted from £1,600 last year to £5,975. She also grimly predicted that the high streets of Sheffield could soon find themselves full of empty stores if nothing changes in the coming months.
While Martin Greaves, a staff member at family run store, Williamson Hardware, told The Star: “We’ve experienced challenges across the board with pretty much everything you can think of.
“It’s been tough. Especially when rent increases at the same time as fuel prices. Unfortunately, we’ve had to put prices up in the store. We try not to when we can but that’s just what we’ve had to do to keep going.”
With that in mind, following the outcome of this month’s elections, we asked our readers what the city’s councillors should do to support local businesses.
Gary Telford said councillors should be focusing on parking, he explained: “Parking costs and business rates are the main issues. Footfall would increase if parking was more cost friendly. One hour free per day would help.”
Josh Darling for Shiregreen and Brightside commented: “Reduce business rates for a start, then work with local people to provide funding for start up businesses that provide value to the community.
“In my area, we have very little in terms of communal spaces (pubs, cafes etc) and what we did have was decimated by Covid. These sorts of businesses should be encouraged with start up help, through both start up grants/loans and reduced business rates/waste disposal rates etc for the first year or so to help them become established.”
Mark Davenport added: “Reduce business rates, offer grants for training and make parking more accessible.”
Richard Henderson argued that the problems are not just something that the councilors can resolve. He said: “It's not just what the council should be doing but also what we all should be doing which is shop local as much as you can.
“Instead of going to Costa, go to an independent coffee shop, buy your Mum's birthday card from a local shop, don't order from Amazon but buy local.”