IT’S an area of shops at the heart of Winchester.

A stone’s throw from the Cathedral’s grounds, independent businesses in The Square are the latest group to throw their weight behind the Hampshire Chronicle’s Shop Local campaign.

One such business is G E Marsh, Antique Clocks, which has been in the city for more than 60 years.

Simon Kerby, a clockmaker, said: “We deal with a lot of generations from the same family here as parents recommend us to their children.

“All the staff have been here a long time. I’ve been here for 20 years, and I’m still the new boy.

“We stock a huge scale of items from £8 watch batteries to £400,000 grandfather clocks. You won’t get that in a chain shop.”

Another independent shop owner supporting the campaign is lifestyle retailer The Hambledon, which is owned by Victoria Suffield.

She said: “It’s important to use local stores so we don’t end up with a homogenous high street in every city in the land.

“It’s so that people have stores and businesses to be proud of in their city.”

Margaret Shepherd, a sales assistant at Creative Crafts, which has been open for 20 years, added: “Somewhere like this you get knowledgeable staff who are quite happy to give you advice and help you. People come from miles around to shop here.”

Kim Smith, sales assistant at Georgie Porgie’s Children’s Store, said: “It’s the individuality of the shops.

“A lot of our clothing is French, so it’s something different that you won’t find in say Debenhams.”

Alex Edwards, owner of clothing and gift shop Cadogan, said: “I think that there’s a place for supermarkets and chain stores, but alongside that we need independent stores.

“It facilitates more of a community spirit and also we have a richer depth of stock in an independent store and a more personalised service. Overall it gives the consumer more choice.”

Ben Perry, assistant manager at Cadogan and James delicatessen, said: “Customers are welcome to taste pretty much anything in our shop.

“Otherwise how would you know what to buy?”