Dean Russell MP was pleased to be invited by the Asian Trader Magazine to talk to them today about local issues. He also met with Mr Shah, owner of the local Londis Store in Watford. Londis was established in 1959 with all businesses independently owned. There are more than 2200 stores across the UK.
Dean was pleased to talk to Mr Shah and his colleagues about the matters which are important to them as a local business. Mr Shah discussed the challenges through the pandemic and they discussed a range of issues from the cost of living through to shoplifting. They also discussed the local economy.
Dean thanked Mr Shah for the first class service he gives to local residents, and also for providing a variety of goods and employment opportunities for local residents. Following the visit, Dean said, ‘I would like to thank Mr Shah and his colleagues for inviting me to visit them today, and to learn more about their business. I was pleased to talk about how the government have halved inflation and cut taxes. These changes are resulting in local Watford residents having more money in their pockets each month. This will also stimulate the local economy and promote further spending within our town. Local shops are a lifeline in our communities, offering local employment and great service to people living locally’.
Asian Trader magazine, part of Asian Media group, was up bright and early to meet Mr CK Shah, owner of the Garston Way Parade Londis store, and Dean Russell, his local MP. They said, ‘As part of the “Retail Heroes” feature we are running in our magazine, we proposed to interview singly and together Mr Shah and Mr Russell – the idea being that a conversation would emerge that might highlight the importance of the role played by independent retailers in their communities, the problems and pressures they face, and how their local representatives at Westminster are acting on their behalf.
It was a wide-ranging and very good-humoured exchange between the two locals; we listened closely and learned a lot, coming away feeling very encouraged by what Dean had to say about how Mr Shah’s anxieties were being addressed, and about how deeply appreciated local retailers are by politicians as well as customers (in Dean’s case, as we discovered, the definitions overlap)’.
The visit showed the importance of local shops and the positive impact they make in the communities.
