A new report has found that convenience stores, pharmacies and
post offices are the services that have the most positive impact
in local communities.
The 2021 Community Barometer, published today by the Association
of Convenience Stores, looks at how people feel about the
services that are available to them locally, and the impact that
they have on key measures like reducing loneliness, how positive
an impact they have on the community and how essential they are.
Some of the 16 services people could choose from included
restaurants, pubs/bars, pharmacies, specialist food shops, coffee
shops, non-food stores, pharmacies and others.
When asked about which services were the most essential to have
locally, pharmacies came out on top, followed by convenience
stores, Post Offices, banks and petrol stations.
Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman
said: “It’s reassuring but not surprising that local shops and
other services are as essential to people’s daily lives as ever.
Throughout the pandemic, and even now with more people working
from home on a long-term basis, many have rediscovered their
local shops and realised the huge breadth of products and
services that they offer, as well as their invaluable
contribution to the wider local community. The findings of this
report are a testament to the work that convenience store
retailers and their colleagues have put in over the last year to
keep their communities going.”
For the first time this year, the Community Barometer looks at
which services have a positive impact on house prices locally.
With significant movement in the property market over the last
year, people are more keen than ever to ensure that the services
in their local area provide a boost to the value of their
property.
The top five services that have the most positive impact on house
prices are: Post Offices, pharmacies, specialist food shops,
coffee shops, and convenience stores.
Amanda Jones, Post Office Retail and Franchise Network Director,
said: “I welcome the findings from this report which reflect what
we have seen over the past 18 months of the pandemic. Many people
have relied on their local convenience store for food shopping or
home deliveries, as well as, the Post Office services that can be
found in thousands of convenience stores across the country. So
many people have been impacted by the pandemic and we’re aware of
the important role Post Offices play in helping to combat
loneliness in particular. We’re proud of Postmasters who serve
millions of customers ever week. For some people this may be
their only face-to-face interaction with another person.
Postmasters will continue to be at the heart of their local
community making sure people have access to important services.”
Mr Lowman continued: “Many of the positively viewed services in
this report, such as Post Offices, coffee shops and pharmacies,
are featured within modern convenience stores, especially in
rural and isolated areas where there’s only one place for people
to go to get their essentials locally. In other locations, our
members are part of a mix of businesses all tailoring their offer
to local customers and working together to help maintain vibrant
and safe local communities.”
The full ACS Community Barometer report is available here:
https://bit.ly/CommunityBarometer21
