Keeping it Local: Part 1.Where can I find the things that I need?

I've decided that for the month of December, I'm going to try and shop locally and not from high street chains. So no Tescos, Boots, Superdrug, Sainsburys, et al. I want to try and give my money back to my community and certainly not support the businesses who are willing to keep adding more supermarkets where they aren't wanted - yes Tesco, I'm talking to you!

So how's it been going? It's harder than I expected. There is no 'one hit' shopping experience. I suddenly have to develop a strategy of where to go for what items.And even when I'm finding them, I'm not always checking how much more I'm spending so I don't know how much extra going local is costing me!

One area I've had problems with is baby food and nappies. You get great deals with the high street chains so it's hard to find somewhere to get the choice and price. We have two chemists in central Brixton which aren't big chains. They don't have much baby stuff because Brixton has Boots, Superdrug, Mothercare and Tescos to supply that product at bargain prices. It would be hard for the little shops to compete and so they don't.

However, the price of the nappies from a local store were cheaper than from the high street though their turnover of these stock items in the local store must be slow as Pampers don't make nappies in these pack sizes anymore. I think that might have been a one off pot luck situation. I'll keep you posted.

And before anyone suggests the alternatives of reusable nappies and making my own food or baby led weaning, they have been considered. I don't have a washing machine so it begins to make reusables costly and time consuming. I do make my own baby food most of the time - the jars are for convenience!

Another problem had been finding an ordinary loaf of bread. Now bread isn't cheap anymore so I don't want to try all the different local packaged bread in the hope that I find something I like especially as I'm the only one eating it. I've had a pop at the posh bread from Wild Caper which was different but really a treat. I also eat lots of the pitta bread from Nour Cash and Carry. But what I'm looking is for is a bloomer - I can't go to Greggs as that is a chain so any suggestions are welcome.

And my last problem has been finding sausages. I use to be a veggie and am now a picky meat eater. I'm not that keen on the look of some of the meat I see in the market so asking another local they suggested Dombeys in Market Row which at the time I needed sausages didn't have any! So any other butchers in Brixton to recommend?

I've found this lovely film short about one of the local butchers though I won't be eating any of these items soon. 

Another part of keeping it local is using the Brixton Pound. You can pick them up in the menswear department of Morleys. I exchanged some already and used the money in the toy department of the store. I will report back on my Brixton Pound shopping in my next instalment.

Brixton Pounds (Photo:This ain't Rock'n'Roll)

We are staying local folks but it's hard work!