A Tayside business leader has warned that the continued rise of supermarkets in the area is putting the squeeze on independent retailers.
Charles Goodall, vice-chairman of the Dundee and Angus branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), believes that the emergence of newer and larger supermarket premises is making it increasingly hard for traditional high street shops to compete.
Since the turn of the year approval has been given for the construction of four new large stores in Dundee, Arbroath, Forfar and Montrose, moves that will yield hundreds of jobs.
However, while admitting that it is hard for local authorities to turn their back on such vast job creation projects at a time of economic hardship, Mr Goodall fears that small retailers are the victims as shoppers desert the old high streets that once formed the heart of small communities.
He told The Courier, “Supermarket development is all over our area and that is detrimental to the growth of small businesses in our communities.
“There are new ones appearing in Forfar and Arbroath but where is the business coming from as the population is hardly growing?
“Supermarkets tend to be away on the outskirts of communities and if people are going there then they are not being encouraged to go to the town centres.”
Securing funding from banks continues to be a problem for small firms with financial institutions reluctant to lend and putting in place stricter controls on overdraft arrangements.
However, Mr Goodall went on to suggest that all was not lost and in the increased presence of the supermarkets insists that small businesses have one trump card that can encourage customers to spend their pennies locally.Service is key to victory”Any big supermarket will create loads of part-time and full-time posts,” he said. “They are also allowed to develop as they will probably contribute to the local road structure, which can take a lot of weight off the council.
“But the one positive thing is that most small business can offer excellent customer service.
“That’s the way in which we can fight back.”
Mr Goodall’s comments come after the chairwoman of the FSB in Fife hit out at what she called the “supermarket mentality.”
Speaking after Rosyth firm Acorn Pets went into administration, Janet Torley asked that more assistance be given to independent companies as a result of the firm’s collapse.
She said, “This is another small business that has bitten the dust.”
“This represents the sad demise of specialist shops who are victims of the supermarket mentality.”