April 2020.

I decided to try to put my money where my mouth is (or somewhere near, at least) and support some small/local businesses during lockdown. It’s funny, we can all talk a good game about the importance of local, independent retailers, but when you really stop and think about it, these businesses are truly a lifeline between a civilised, intimate, local, community-based world and mega corp induced dystopia. I like amazon and use it all the time but we need local and small businesses, too. And small businesses bring everyday pleasures that are easy to forget; friendly recognition, a conversation, care and attention to you, the customer. These are not simple things to understand and nor are they easy to replicate once they have gone.

So, I thought about the businesses that have bought me deep pleasure in the past decades and I decided to support them as much as I could afford. These are some of them.

Kafka in Aberdeen for menswear which is run by two amazing brothers and which I have been a customer of for 20 something years.

Rough Trade Records. My absolute favourite record shop with a brilliant online service.

My Wine Cellar. Quite a new online shop but efficient and friendly and with a small, curated selection.

Natural Born Wines. An excellent selection of Italian natural wines (a new enthusiasm for me).

The Good Wash Co. A Welsh company doing good soap and social good, too.

Black Bough in Ludlow for cards and gifts; a beautiful small shop.

Freight for similar goods to those above and some great candles.

Print Club London. A small company selling brilliant selection of prints.

Jealous Gallery. As above.

Gail Bryson. For the best Rainbow prints that anyone made during lockdown.

I eventually subscribed to The Idler. Most months they have given me a copy but this was the time to commit.

And I did the same for Monocle, which I find equal parts brilliant and infuriating, but admire hugely.

Pinch London. Proper, handmade, British furniture. Genuine heirlooms that I would get into in a deep way if I could afford it.

Alex Pole Ironwork. I bought some astonishingly beautiful ladles and spoons.

Quite a number of bookshops, both small and local and bigger chains such as Daunt.