Britain is said to be a nation of shopkeepers, but judging by the latest research from American Express, there is still plenty of life on the other side of the till.
Loyal Brits are willing to make a 36-mile round trip to visit their favourite shop, with millions spending valuable time travelling out of town to stick with their tried-and-tested favourite independent business.
And over half of those polled said they would continue to visit their best-loved shops, even if they moved house and no longer lived in the area.
The stats, released ahead of Small Business Saturday (December 3rd), also find that a third of people know the staff in their favourite shop by name.
Half of people would stay with their hairdresser even if they moved house, while more than a quarter (28 per cent) have been with their current stylist for more than ten years.
Almost six in ten say they are willing to go the extra mile because of the personal service they receive while another 49 per cent travel for the specialist knowledge small business owners have.
Last year, principal supporter of Small Business Saturday American Express reported that the public came out in force spending £623 million in small shops across the country on the day.
Alice Noone, vice president of marketing at American Express says, ‘The fact that we will go the extra mile to visit small, independent businesses is a reflection of the role that they play in our lives.’
The top ten small businesses members of the public say they will travel furthest to visit are hairdresser or barber, café or restaurant, and medical specialist (eg physiotherapist).
Dentist, specialist food supplier (eg butcher or baker), and garage or mechanic, are other popular choices.
Further reading on independent shops
