BUYING locally contributes to the local economy, yet at the dawning of 2024, matters beyond the control of local traders are weakening my resolve to buy locally as much as possible.

The daily Morning Star that I buy at Belmont Oval Morrisons Daily comes to them via WHS delivery system – when it arrives, that is. There have been days in the past year that that delivery system has failed to get Morning Star to Morrisons Daily or other suppliers around Hereford such as Sainsbury’s or Bobblestock Co-op supermarket.

So I’m becoming more open to the prospect of, say, an online subscription so as not to miss out, while WHS delivery system failures seem to have little or no impact on supplies of the Daily Mail and others locally.

What are your thoughts?

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As well as potentially lessening my social contacts with local retailers, that would also entail an up-front payment from my £203.85 per week state pension.

I also note that the supply chain to Ryman, Hereford, no longer supplies them with one of the ink cartridges for my Canon printer, and thus I’ve had to purchase that from an online supplier.

So while I shall continue buying box files from Ryman, Hereford, for the time being, the supply chains of Ryman to its local branches, like the WHS supply chain of Morning Star to Hereford, will need to ‘get their skates on’ if they want to be sure of keeping me on board as a customer.

ALAN WHEATLEY

Hereford