IT has been widely reported that high street shops are closing at a dramatic rate – some say up to 100 every day – as businesses struggle with people tightening their belts.

This is bad news for local traders, many of whom were struggling before the recent economic woes in the face of competition from bigger retailers, and it’s bad news for all of us, too.

Small businesses are the unsung heroes of the high street.

They just need the support of their local shoppers.

Members of the consumer group Which? tell us they value the specialist knowledge and customer service of local retailers. When we asked our members to tell us about their favourite high street shops, four of the top ten were local independent outlets.

Through the Which? Local website – which-local.co.uk – our members recommend reliable local businesses to each other.

Recently, we gave awards to the best local businesses across a variety of trades and regions.

The thousands of recommendations we received were testament to how much we rely on, and appreciate, our local shops.

We’d encourage everyone to give their local high street shops and local tradespeople a chance.

And if you find a good one – tell your friends and families and spread the word.

Peter Vicary-Smith, Chief Executive, Which?, London.