Shopping campaign already bears fruit
New Bowling Green Landlady Dawn Mason buys all her fruit, vegetables, cheeses and bread in Warwick to cook Sunday lunches for her customers after hearing about the Courier's Shop Locally campaign. MHLC-10-07-12 shopping jul159
OUR campaign to Keep Shopping Local during the month of July has already borne fruit among Warwick townsfolk and traders.
Quite literally fruit in the case of Dawn Mason, landlady of the New Bowling Green pub who instead of going off to the wholesalers on Saturday morning, decided to get up 45 minutes earlier and drive to Warwick Market where she bought not only peaches and plums but all the vegetables, salads, beetroot and fresh cheeses she needed to cook Sunday lunch for her customers.
Dawn, who took over the historic pub in St Nicholas Church Street last November, said: “When I heard about the Courier’s campaign I immediately realised it was a great idea and decided to back it.”
The 43-year-old licensee shopped before 9am so got the benefit of free parking, but has now learned that the market traders are happy to hold on to heavy bags until customers exit the New Street car park.
She said: “After shopping in the square where I mixed and met with so many people, I went on to buy some lovely bread at the Bakehouse in Swan Street and still had time for a cup of tea in The Tuckery cafe.
“It was altogether a much nicer experience than my normal Saturdays and I certainly plan to do it again. This time I’d already ordered my meat by the time I read about the campaign but next week I’m going to source some local farm shops.”
Liz Drake, the Warwick photographer who inspired our campaign with what began as a one-woman ‘shop locally’ effort, is already on to day ten of a personal blog on her Love Warwick website.
The busy mother-of-two said: “There are more than 300 shops and businesses right on my doorstep so I know this can be done for a month, if not forever.
“I still remember doing all the shopping ahead of my wedding six years ago on Smith Street.
“I bought my gown and the bridesmaid’s dresses at Polyanna’s, I also booked the hairdresser, flowers and just about everything else before my husband Tony and I went off to the register office and then for a reception at the Warwick Arms in High Street.”
Liz, aged 36, who through her business has gone on to promote Warwick as the ideal wedding town, said: “Even though I’ve lived here since 1998 I’m now rediscovering what’s available on my doorstep.
“Last week I’d forgotten Warwick Sports for swimsuits and this week I’ve found out that there are at least two other shops, Belladonna Lingerie and the Original Factory Shop in Market Street.
“Visitors to Warwick can still stop you and ask where the town centre is because they’re looking for the High Street chains like Next and H & M.
“They just don’t realise what a independent range of clothes are being sold just on Swan Street.
“Of course, for speed and convenience we all need to go to the supermarket sometimes. But we also have to change people’s understanding of what shopping should be.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Warwick
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 5 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
