THE Chippenham Business Improvement District is calling on residents and visitors to make more of an effort to support the town’s independent retailers.

In Chippenham, 46 per cent of the town's shops are independently owned and BID manager, Carolyn Brownell, believes the importance of independent retailers in the future growth of the town must be recognised.

She said: "It is important not only to celebrate and support our town’s ‘indies’, but to also recognise their importance to the future growth and success of Chippenham. Indies are just as important in attracting footfall as the chain stores as they give the town centre variety, colour and choice, and this, when balanced with the big brand familiarity of chain stores, is what attracts visitors and shoppers from the surrounding region.

"It is crucially important that we have a healthy balance between independents that offer variety, and chain stores that offer familiarity and reassurance.

"Towns and cities centre that have an imbalance do not thrive. If they don’t have enough indies they suffer from becoming ‘Clone Towns’ and fail to attract inward visitors."

The latest figures from The Local Data Company and the British Independent Retailers Association show that the region is experiencing the greatest increase in the number of independents of all regions across the UK.

Chippenham's BID manager added: "Here in the south west of England we are fortunate that we have a very healthy independent retail community.

“We also have half the national average of vacant shop units. These are great statistics on which the Chippenham BID and the town can build. But we must not forget that retail remains a challenging environment, so it is crucial that we continue to support all of the town’s retailers.”