Why we should all shop local in Kilkenny this year

Aa we count down the days, hours and minutes to Christmas, we at KilkennyNow.ie would like to make one suggestion before the festivities get into full swing.

Shop here at home in County Wicklow.

Local retailers play a massive part in making Christmas such a special time so they really deserve our support.

For every €1 you spend with a local independent business, between 50c-70c circulates back into the locality, while shopping online or out-of-town sees only 5c trickle back.

Local businesses not only keep the economy humming, but they also add to the quality of life in our community in other ways.

Seeing local businesses thrive also gives you the feeling that you’re living in a vibrant, growing community, a desirable place to live, work and raise a family.

Local businesses are owned and operated by local people, while even the chain stores are managed and run by people who live in our community.

They work here, coach the local sports teams, eat in local restaurants and live just down the street – when you buy in local shops, you’re supporting your neighbours.

Customer service of the kind you thought had disappeared can still be found in the smallest of local businesses.

And while all the indications are that the country is beginning to re-emerge after the worst recession in living memory, we must remember one thing – we are more than just an economy.

We are a society of vibrant people and that cannot be measured in shillings and pence alone.

And as we head into 2020,  and the centenary celebrations of the birth of our nation over the next few years, let’s remember that buying locally is a gift for us all.

Photo: Sienna Mapel Murphy (6) in the Kilkenny Shop  in the run up to Christmas