Even though going to major business chains to eat out or to shop, supporting individual and local businesses is very important. Throughout this blog I will not only discuss the benefits of supporting local businesses, but I will also recommend individual businesses around Northern Ireland/Ireland that we can support together.
Benefits of Supporting Local
Surprisingly, shopping locally is better for the economy of the community. Lobel has found that ‘£10 spent local means that an additional £50 goes back into the local economy’ (Lobel, 2018). This is because the owners of the individual businesses will put the money back into the economy through shopping and eating out in local restaurants too. This becomes a regular cycle of mutual support.
Secondly, supporting local helps the environment. For example, when buying something online from a corporate company, shipping parcels causes more damage to the environment than you would imagine. In 2015, Berg proved that ‘the fuel used in ships, for instance, still contains low levels of sulphur and is highly polluting, and it’s been estimated that shipping accounts for 3-4% of human-caused carbon emissions’ (Berg, 2015). Therefore, by shopping locally, there would be less need for shipping and thus a reduction of pollution in the ocean.
Furthermore, Wooll states that ‘Strong communities are critical because they’re often an important source of social connection and a sense of belonging’ (Wooll, 2021). Supporting each other’s businesses shows great encouragement and kindness towards one another, building a close community within the town or city you live in. For instance, instead of attending yoga classes in PureGym, where I would have to drive twenty minutes to, I could join a yoga class with Yoga Quarter Belfast. Not only it is a ten-minute walk from my house, the company is also a local and independent business, which has a clear passion and love for yoga.
Local coffee shops in NI/Ireland
One of my favourite things about Northern Ireland is the local coffee shops. I always love finding a new café to visit, even if it is a thirty-minute drive away. In this next section I am going to recommend my top three independent coffee shops.
1. Gullimot
Firstly, the Guillemot Café and Deli is a family business located in Bangor, Co. Down, beside Bangor Pier. They offer a wide range of delicious options on their menu, including vegetarian and vegan friendly options. For instance, they have freshly made salads, filling club sandwiches and their famous cinnamon scones. The small café provides a comfortable setting for eating in, surrounded by colourful paintings of the City of Bangor.
Additionally, the deli sells very flavoursome food from local artisan makers, thereby supporting other independent companies around Northern Ireland/Ireland.
2. Established
My second recommendation is Established. It has been based in the heart of Belfast for over seven years. The business has become a very popular spot over the years because of their tasty coffee and creative seasonal menus. The café’s layout is ideal for students as they have long tables and plugs sockets to charge your laptop or phone. In addition, they also create and sell their own coffee beans and merchandise. Established are therefore big ambassadors for supporting local.
3. Lost & Found
When taking a trip up to the North Coast, Lost & Found is always on my list of places to visit. Their cafes are based in Coleraine and Portstewart, Co. L’Derry. Lost & Found’s coffee is one of the best, as they purchase their coffee beans from Roasted Brown Coffee Roasters in Wicklow. One of their main priorities is to become as sustainable as they can. For example, to minimise some environmental costs they buy organically farmed salmon from Ballycastle Smokehouse. As such, even though their menus don’t have a wide variety, their food is all freshly made and locally produced.
References
Berg, N., 2015. The environmental cost of shipping stuff is huge. Can we fix that?. [online] Vox. Available at: <https://www.vox.com/2015/12/23/10647768/shipping-environmental-cost> [Accessed 13 October 2022].
Lobel, B., 2018. Fifteen reasons why you should shop at a local company. [online] Small Business. Available at: <https://smallbusiness.co.uk/fifteen-reasons-choose-local-company-2542429/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwy5maBhDdARIsAMxrkw35RRxjaEqOWeQaSSG9VGaeh8BojjuowkEkdOsjoSWdocZLdWqpJ6UaAqGbEALw_wcB> [Accessed 13 October 2022].
Wooll, M., 2021. Community for the win — how collective solutions help individual problems. [Blog] Insights on exploring human potential and unlocking professional and personal growth., Available at: <https://www.betterup.com/blog/importance-of-community> [Accessed 13 October 2022].
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