Date: 07/11/2007
Sowerbutts the greengrocers, a 30-year-old business in Glossop and third generation fresh fruit and vegetable supplier, has invested in 21st century technology so local shoppers can buy online and have their produce delivered free to their doorstep.
This makes them a prime example of the flexible, independent businesses promoted as part of High Peak Borough Council's current Shop Smart, Shop Local campaign.
"If customers get in touch before 1pm and we have everything they need in stock, we can deliver the same day," said owner Nigel Sowerbutts, who joined the family business at age 17 and now leads the busy High Street West shop. "If not, we can deliver the next day at the latest, because we visit the wholesale market in Manchester to buy fresh produce every morning."
Mr Sowerbutts added: "The way people do their shopping is changing. People are working longer hours and have less time to visit shops in person, so we are trying to make it easier for them to shop locally.
"There's also more competition from supermarkets, so we felt we needed to step up the service we offer. When Sowerbutts first came to Glossop, there were about ten greengrocers in and around the town, and now there are just two, so we have to adapt to survive.
"Our website has certainly been well-received, and we now have a number of customers who use it on a regular basis. We deliver free within Glossopdale, and out as far as Hayfield."
His late grandfather Bill, famous as one of Radio 4's panellists on Gardeners' Question Time, launched the family business 80 years ago in Ashton-under-Lyne. In 1978, Nigel's father Peter opened a flower shop on High Street West, and since the early 1980s, this has become the current greengrocers.
Like many Shop Smart, Shop Local supporters, Sowerbutts uses local producers and stocks British fruit and vegetables, wherever possible.
Mr Sowerbutts said: "Whenever I can, I buy from growers in Cheshire and Lancashire, subject to availability, although some lines can only be sourced from abroad. People have certainly become more discerning about what they buy and where it's from. An increasing number of consumers want to buy locally-sourced produce. I'm a big supporter of English apples, and this autumn, am stocking eight different varieties, so shoppers can literally take their pick of something different.
"People's attitude to cooking and eating has changed - they want things like kumquats and mange tout, and we can supply whatever they need. Our range has grown from 150 lines to at least 250. Our main assets are the personal service we offer, the freshness of our produce and our product knowledge - we're always happy to help if people want to know how to cook or serve a particular vegetable or fruit."
Besides online shopping, the Sowerbutts website also outlines the wide range of goods available - such as dairy products from Longley Farm in Holmfirth, freshly made coleslaw, fresh herbs, fresh fruit salads, freshly squeezed orange juice and seasonal recipes, to help shoppers make the most of produce available all year.
Holders of the Derbyshire Gold Card can get a ten per cent discount on orders over £5, on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The Shop Smart, Shop Local campaign in Glossopdale is part of a national initiative promoting the social, environmental and economic benefits of supporting local businesses. Customers can collect a sticker each time they buy something in a participating shop and stick it on a passport. When one of the sections on the passport is full, it can be entered into a monthly prize draw, if handed in at Glossop Municipal Buildings.
Further information about the campaign, including toolkits full of marketing and promotional ideas and ways to encourage people to spend in local shops, are available from Sarah Porru, Glossop Vision programme officer, on 0845 129 7777 or glossopvision@highpeak.gov.uk.