Opinion: Importance of local businesses

In Peterborough we have hundreds of fantastic local businesses. It’s easy to overlook the importance these local businesses have on our society in a modern globalised world filled with conveniences such as supermarkets and next day deliveries from Amazon. But many of these Peterborough businesses are at the core of our neighbourhoods and contribute immensely to our local economy.

There is a far more personal connection that you don’t always experience with larger firms, staff will often know you by name, understand people’s preferences and can cater to unique needs of the community.

This personalised approach not only enhances the experience but also strengthens the bonds of neighbourhoods and makes it feel like home.

During my time as the MP for Peterborough I have had the privilege of visiting many fantastic local businesses, a lot of them family run, some new and some long standing. But what always strikes me when I visit is the sense of togetherness and the duty to the communities these businesses serve.

It’s always great to hear personal stories about some amazing Peterborough individuals. That’s part of the reason I set up my Peterborough Heroes. I meet many of my heroes on visits to local businesses and learn of some of the amazing things they do within our community, then every year I take them to Parliament to celebrate their contribution to our great city.

More recently I attended the Peterborough Community Business Awards launch event, set up by local Peterborough man Gez Chetal. These awards seek to recognise outstanding businesses, inspirational leaders, and committed individuals who have greatly influenced our local community. It’s a great initiative and I look forward to the awards ceremony later in the year.

On the same day I took the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, the Rt Hon. Kemi Badenoch MP to two fantastic Peterborough businesses.

We have great companies doing great things and I always want to show that off to Ministers at the very top of Government.

Firstly we visited Mattoni – a very popular local Italian restaurant in Eye – and then Masteroast Coffee Company in Fengate.

Masteroast is a family run business that now has hundreds of employees and exports coffee to countries all around the round. In fact I was told during the visit that around 1 in 10 cups of coffee consumed in the UK will have gone through their factory, right here in Peterborough – amazing!

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy - there is nowhere that this is more evident than in Peterborough. They provide employment, revenue for our public services and goods and services.

But many also give back providing these services for free in times of need. This is exactly what happened during COVID.

Peterborough is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, the Government see our potential, that’s why we are receiving millions in capital funding projects and it makes me proud of Peterborough.