Several times over the past few weeks adverse weather has brought the country to a standstill, closing businesses, shutting schools and causing chaos on the roads and railways.

Independent retailers, however, have done their utmost to stay open and provide a service to their local community.

A retailer I spoke to at a meeting in London, who has a shop in Bucks, told me how he had spent several days both before Christmas and over the past week, living in a hotel opposite his shop in a bid to keep his business running and ensure his customers can get everything they need.  A prime example of the dedication independents have to the survival of their businesses and loyalty to their customers.

Perhaps most importantly, the majority of newspaper rounds have continued, albeit a little slower and more cautiously than usual.

Maybe it’s a little too optimistic to hope publishers will take on board the lengths independents have gone to to get their titles in the hands of their readers, and reward them for this reliability by being more considerate when planning their next cut in retail margins.