There’s no doubt that the economic climate in recent years has made it more difficult for small business – not just in the Hunter, but across the state.
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So it’s no surprise that well-known Maitland business identity Patrick Lane is calling on the region’s residents to support locally-owned and operated ventures.
While some people might respond with the argument that they could get their goods and services cheaper from one of the larger national or multinational chains, there is a real danger that grassroots businesses, like the few that remain in Maitland, will disappear if the trend continues.
“It’s the conditioning of the consumer that they’ll get it cheaper elsewhere, but that’s not always true,” Mr Lane told the Mercury today.
“We cannot compete if we don’t have the support of local people.
“They need to think about how their shopping behaviour impacts the business community of their area.”
On many counts here, Mr Lane has a strong point.
His comments come after Harvey’s Menswear closed its doors permanently on the weekend after operating in High Street for decades.
Owner Brett Jordan had worked there for 40 years after starting at the shop as a 17-year-old.
Generations of Maitland families had been clothed at the store, as parents took their children shopping there – who eventually took their own kids to Harveys years later.
It’s a shame that, after such a long time, businesses that have become part of this city’s fabric have to take such drastic measures.
Maitland Business Chamber president Craig McGregor has also echoed Mr Lane’s sentiments and urged the community to consider shopping at locally-owned and operated businesses more often.
He said these businesses were important because they invested money back into the local economy – rather than to a head office in another place.
Independent businesses aren’t just important as part of this city’s cultural fabric, they also contribute to the economy as employers and tax payers.
But it appears that if those small businesses don’t get increased support from communities like Maitland, we will end up with less variety.
