Leighton Buzzard High Street 'buzzing' on Independents' Day

Leighton Buzzard was proud to celebrate Independents' Day at the weekend, as the town was "buzzing" with supportive shoppers and hardworking traders.

Every year around July 4, when US citizens celebrate their independence, here in the UK residents praise the independent businesses who make our high streets unique.

The campaign has been running for the last few years to highlight the importance of small, local independent retailers and the role they play in creating individual shopping experiences up and down the country.

In Leighton Buzzard, small businesses have been rapidly adapting to serve their community during the course of the pandemic. For Independents' Day the main focus was the Saturday so that the market traders were included, but all businesses got involved with offers across the weekend.

Gennaro Borrelli, chairman of independent retailer group LB First, said: "It went really, really well and we were very lucky with the weather.

"Leighton Buzz Radio were there and the presenters were broadcasting live from the high street which was fantastic, and there were freebie giveaways.

"Lots of people were coming along to the LB First stall as well, and the market was really busy from the word go.

"I know that all the other extra stalls we had were buzzing, and the high street was buzzing!

"There were lots of people about and everyone was smiling. It was a great opportunity to be able to celebrate our wonderful independent businesses and market traders as we have done in the past."

Independents' Day UK organisers say that independent retailers are important for towns and cities across the country for a variety of reasons; they add character, they provide a high level customer service and expertise and usually offer a range of products that can not be found elsewhere.

Howard Robinson, campaign spokesman, said: “The aim is to provide a single campaign that individual independent retailers around the country can participate in, free of charge, and use as a way of promoting their own shops and the independent shops in the area around them.”