Sevenoaks was recently names by The Daily Telegraph as the 12th most desirable place to live in the UK, and whilst I, as you might expect, would argue we should have featured even higher on this list, without a doubt a key part of what makes Sevenoaks so desirable is the High Street.
Whether it’s visiting the Stag for entertainment, Life on High for lunch, Number 8 in the evening for great food, Pizza Express with the kids, Marco’s for the finest pesto anywhere on this earth, or Hart Spa for some down time, and many other places besides, the high street sits at the heart of our community, and it was an honour to last be invited to attend the Annual Sevenoaks Business Awards.
Organised by Sevenoaks Town Council, through the Sevenoaks Town Team, the awards are a great opportunity to celebrate and recognise the brilliant contribution of the many superb businesses we have in and around Sevenoaks town.
I loved meeting many of the excellent nominees and was pleased as Patron of the Sevenoaks Town Team to be able welcome those present, thanking them for the part they play in keeping our town vibrant. A huge congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and my thanks again to the Sevenoaks Team for organising such an excellent event.
Whilst local Government can help set the playing field and the tone, ultimately the success of the town is down to the local businesses with their hard work, dedication and enterprise. Setting up a business (as highlighted by the churn of shops) is risky – and we should support them as much as we can.
But businesses do need the Government on their side. They were supported through the pandemic, and come through the difficult subsequent years where Covid and the energy price spike caused a very much higher cost of living. From the many of the businesses I have spoken to, I know how worried they are about the forthcoming budget and what it means for them.
We should never forget that often those setting up businesses have re-mortgaged their homes, taken out loans, toiled for extremely long hours 7 days a week – and made so many sacrifices. In return they create employment and provide services we all use. I will continue to do all I can to stand up for our local businesses in Westminster, especially in the build up to the upcoming Budget, and ensure the government understands their importance of our local economy.
