£200

£200.

That is how much our shop rent has just increased by each month.

Overnight it has gone from £720 to £920.

Transparency is important to us, so to put it into perspective, that extra £200 in rent actually means we need to take around £600/700 more in sales every single month just to stand still.

Running a small high street shop is not always as easy as it might look from the outside. For a big company that might not sound like much, but for a small independent shop it really is a huge amount. In real terms it is the cost of my Saturday girl. The only bit of help I get (apart from Mum obviously), could be gone.

I completely understand that costs go up for everyone and landlords have their own pressures too, so it's not a dig at my landlord, but increases like this are tough for small high street businesses that are already working hard just to keep the lights on.

The reality is we are not a big chain and we are not here making huge profits. Like many small businesses we are simply trying to make a living, keep prices fair and keep serving our community.

We could push everyone towards ordering through Just Eat, Deliveroo or the website, but those platforms take fees from every order. The more people use them, the less we actually make from the sale.

The best way to support us is simply to pop into the shop when you can. It keeps money on the local high street, helps protect local jobs, and helps us keep our prices as reasonable as possible.

If you love having independent shops in your village, please remember to shop local and spend local. Every visit really does make a difference.

Thank you to everyone who already supports us. It honestly means more than you know.