
All chains are BANNED in our posh English seaside village except for single high street giant – but under a strict rule
SEA YOU LATER All chains are BANNED in our posh English seaside village except for single high street giant – but under a strict rule
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
A PICTURESQUE seaside spot in Suffolk is championing independent brands and shops in an attempt to save small businesses.
Southwold, which has earned itself the nickname Chelsea-On-Sea, has rejected high street giants like Costa Coffee and Burger King from stripping individuality from the town.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
3
This commitment is more than aesthetic — it's economic and cultural
Credit: Alamy
3
By discouraging chain stores from its high street, Southwold has created space for independent shops, cafés, and artisans to thrive
Credit: Alamy
With the backing of local councils and strong community support, the town has resisted the encroachment of corporate franchises in favour of preserving it's small-town character.
Waterstones was an exception to the rule and was given the green light to open, under one condition: it changed its name.
The store agreed to run its business under the name of the former establishment, Southwold Books'.
This commitment is more than aesthetic — it's economic and cultural.
By discouraging chain stores from its high street, Southwold has created space for independent shops, cafés, and artisans to thrive.
These local enterprises often source goods regionally, invest profits back into the community, and contribute to a slower, more personal style of commerce that's increasingly rare in modern retail environments.
Guy Mitchell, Chair of the Southwold & District Chamber of Trade, told East Anglian Daily Times: 'We're very proud that 84 percent of shops in Southwold are independent.
"It's very important that local people and visitors … continue to support those traders.'
Pete Hart, who owns Chapmans Newsagents, also told the paper: "This town is loved for the way it is and if we are not careful our high street will look like any other and will lose its charm and appeal.'
Across the UK, independent and family-run businesses are facing an increasingly steep uphill battle.
One of the biggest issues is the soaring cost of doing business.
Many small shops are grappling with inflated rents, surging energy bills, and increased supplier costs.
Unlike larger retailers, they lack the scale to negotiate better deals or absorb financial shocks.
On top of that, business rates remain disproportionately high for small operators, often penalising them for occupying high street locations that are vital for visibility but increasingly unaffordable.
The shift in consumer behaviour also poses a significant threat.
Online shopping, which boomed during the pandemic, has become the norm for many customers who are drawn to the convenience of internet browsing.
James Scott, owner of Prandium Cafe told Suffolk Business: "Running an independent shop in Southwold is extremely hard.
"The rental of that property is £2,500 a month. Day visitors don't always understand that overheads are too high and think that local shops are ripping them off.'
RETAIL PAIN IN 2025
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025."
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
"By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

South Wales Argus
5 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Els launches new Portuguese golf club alongside Montgomerie and Duval
The four-time major champion played a nine-hole exhibition to open the Els Club Vilamoura with Scottish legend Colin Montgomerie and 2001 Open Champion David Duval. Els Club Vilamoura, is a championship-standard 18-hole golf course, designed by Els, that features a luxury clubhouse and signature amenities such as the 261 Bar, and was built on the previous Victoria course, which hosted the Portugal Masters from 2007 to 2022. Els, who won the US Open in 1994 and 1997 and two Open crowns in 2002 and 2012, invited Montgomerie and Duval to play the course, as well as Portuguese Champions League winner Luis Figo and former England striker Peter Crouch. Els Club, Vilamoura has been built in partnership with English investment fund Arrow Global and management company DETAILS and is the first private-members club in the Algarve (Image: Portugal Invitational) Els said of his new club: 'I've been coming to Vilamoura for many years, I've spent many summers with my family here and we just love Portugal. 'Golf is in a pretty sweet spot at the moment and [creating this course] has been a really nice venture. 'We want the conditions to be absolutely perfect and for people to have a great experience and good food.' Els Club, Vilamoura has been built in partnership with English investment fund Arrow Global and management company DETAILS and is the first private-members club in the Algarve. Membership is extended only to those proposed by founder members or those invited by the club. During a press conference on the morning of the Els Club launch, it was also announced the course would host the new PGA Champions Tour event, the Portugal Invitational after signing a five-year deal. The first edition of the event is set to be held between 31 July to 2 August 2026 and has been brought about through the work of The PGA Tour Champions, Arrow Global Group and Turismo de Portugal and Turismo de Algarve. A field of 78 players will be welcomed to the new track with the likes of Bernhard Langer and Miguel Ángel Jimenez set to compete at the event that boasts a whopping prize purse of £2.23million ($3m). PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady said: 'This Tour is a global showcase of the game's legendary players, and we know the great golf fans in Portugal and throughout Europe will welcome the opportunity to watch them compete in person at The Els Club Vilamoura.' Els added: 'It's wonderful to see those plans now coming to fruition and we're grateful to PGA TOUR Champions President Miller Brady, the team at Arrow Global Group and Turismo de Portugal and Turismo de Algarve, for sharing in our vision and bringing this exciting new tournament here.' Vilamoura is just a 25-minute drive from Faro airport, which boasts connections to 90 airports worldwide, and is also just a two-hour drive from Lisbon. The resort is rich in culture, gastronomy and outdoor activities and is home to its famous marina which is a multiple winner of the Yacht Harbour Association's Best International Marina award. Montgomerie said: 'The golf course is superb, and the clubhouse is fantastic. It's not just a course for the present; it's a course for the future as well,' while Duval added: 'It'll be much anticipated for everybody on the Champions Tour, and I struggle to see how it won't be a huge success a year from now.' PGA TOUR Champions announces the Portugal Invitational to be held at The Els Club Vilamoura on course designed by Ernie Els. PGA TOUR Champions, Arrow Global Group, Turismo de Portugal, and Turismo de Algarve will deliver a five-year partnership and will debut the week of July 27, 2026, and will feature a field of 78 players. For more information visit


North Wales Chronicle
6 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Els launches new Portuguese golf club alongside Montgomerie and Duval
The four-time major champion played a nine-hole exhibition to open the Els Club Vilamoura with Scottish legend Colin Montgomerie and 2001 Open Champion David Duval. Els Club Vilamoura, is a championship-standard 18-hole golf course, designed by Els, that features a luxury clubhouse and signature amenities such as the 261 Bar, and was built on the previous Victoria course, which hosted the Portugal Masters from 2007 to 2022. Els, who won the US Open in 1994 and 1997 and two Open crowns in 2002 and 2012, invited Montgomerie and Duval to play the course, as well as Portuguese Champions League winner Luis Figo and former England striker Peter Crouch. Els Club, Vilamoura has been built in partnership with English investment fund Arrow Global and management company DETAILS and is the first private-members club in the Algarve (Image: Portugal Invitational) Els said of his new club: 'I've been coming to Vilamoura for many years, I've spent many summers with my family here and we just love Portugal. 'Golf is in a pretty sweet spot at the moment and [creating this course] has been a really nice venture. 'We want the conditions to be absolutely perfect and for people to have a great experience and good food.' Els Club, Vilamoura has been built in partnership with English investment fund Arrow Global and management company DETAILS and is the first private-members club in the Algarve. Membership is extended only to those proposed by founder members or those invited by the club. During a press conference on the morning of the Els Club launch, it was also announced the course would host the new PGA Champions Tour event, the Portugal Invitational after signing a five-year deal. The first edition of the event is set to be held between 31 July to 2 August 2026 and has been brought about through the work of The PGA Tour Champions, Arrow Global Group and Turismo de Portugal and Turismo de Algarve. A field of 78 players will be welcomed to the new track with the likes of Bernhard Langer and Miguel Ángel Jimenez set to compete at the event that boasts a whopping prize purse of £2.23million ($3m). PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady said: 'This Tour is a global showcase of the game's legendary players, and we know the great golf fans in Portugal and throughout Europe will welcome the opportunity to watch them compete in person at The Els Club Vilamoura.' Els added: 'It's wonderful to see those plans now coming to fruition and we're grateful to PGA TOUR Champions President Miller Brady, the team at Arrow Global Group and Turismo de Portugal and Turismo de Algarve, for sharing in our vision and bringing this exciting new tournament here.' Vilamoura is just a 25-minute drive from Faro airport, which boasts connections to 90 airports worldwide, and is also just a two-hour drive from Lisbon. The resort is rich in culture, gastronomy and outdoor activities and is home to its famous marina which is a multiple winner of the Yacht Harbour Association's Best International Marina award. Montgomerie said: 'The golf course is superb, and the clubhouse is fantastic. It's not just a course for the present; it's a course for the future as well,' while Duval added: 'It'll be much anticipated for everybody on the Champions Tour, and I struggle to see how it won't be a huge success a year from now.' PGA TOUR Champions announces the Portugal Invitational to be held at The Els Club Vilamoura on course designed by Ernie Els. PGA TOUR Champions, Arrow Global Group, Turismo de Portugal, and Turismo de Algarve will deliver a five-year partnership and will debut the week of July 27, 2026, and will feature a field of 78 players. For more information visit


Glasgow Times
7 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Popular coffee chain unveils revamped Glasgow store
Costa Coffee has reopened its store at the East End shopping centre today (July 25), marking the completion of one of the brand's most extensive store refurbishments in the region to date. The transformed store features a refreshed, modern layout and a newly located coffee bar which its hoped will improve customer flow and experience. READ NEXT: Fans of American singer left disappointed by new tour dates (Image: Supplied) Additional charging points have been installed throughout the cafe, making it an ideal spot for remote workers. The store's team has also been expanded, with the addition of one new barista maestro and three baristas. READ NEXT: New mural takes shape on side of Southside Paesano (Image: Supplied) Phillipa Macintyre, area managers at Costa Coffee, said: "We're proud of the transformation at our Glasgow Fort store. "This refresh represents a significant investment in our customer experience, and we can't wait to welcome both new and familiar faces back to enjoy their favourite coffee - made with Costa's iconic Mocha Italia Signature taste." The Glasgow Fort Costa Coffee store is open from 7:30am to 10pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm Saturday and 9am to 7pm on Sunday.