Local Economy
There is a tendency to think that higher energy prices are a universally bad thing, and that we are going to be sent back to the dark ages. But "Every cloud has a silver lining":-
Higher energy prices and transport costs will put remote suppliers at a disadvantage, and give local businesses an advantage when selling to their local customers.
Food4MaccDirect is already working with local farmers, offering their produce directly to Macclesfield residents. see Food4Macc Direct
The hugely successful Macclesfield Treacle Market
brings together local food producers
and their customers
on the last Sunday of each month.
Macclesfield's Economic Forum is a consortium of individuals
from a broad range of key stakeholder groups
within the community
Local Media
Local Area Websites
Several of the Villages Surrounding Macclesfield now have their own Local Websites
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Henbury Wincle |
Sutton |
Macclesfield's Eco-Businesses
In the future it would be reasonable to expect a strengthening of other local businesses, bus operators, heating engineers, insulation installers, alternative energy installers, cycle shops, Garden Centres, DIY shops, UK holiday services...... You can see some of our first Eco-businesses below
If you look around Macclesfield you will find a number of businesses that aim to help people overcome these problems.
Solarcrest, championed by Eliot Warrington supports eco- retrofitting of existing buildings.
Tidy Planet led by Simon Webb, produces rapid composters for waste food from catering outlets.
Millenium3 is an architectural practice specialising in sustainability led by Lesley Evans Mattin.
Go Green Heating is run by Jeff Dakin in Langley.
ecomail is a bicycle courier service run by Stuart Brown
If you want a holiday without flying, Colin Townend runs the camper hire business Macclesfield Motorhome Hire
Macclesfield Renewables is another local installer, as are SolarGreenPower and Micro Generation Systems.
If you would like your Eco Business listed here please email macc2020mail@gmail.com
It is interesting to note the circularity of history; In the 1960's there were popular movements "I'm backing Britain" and "Buy British" . These were later replaced by an enthusiasm (in some minds at least) for trading with our European partners. It now seems likely that we will be looking closer to home once more in a new era of "Localism".
The complicating factor will be how we continue to support the economies of the third world, some of whom depend on our trade, without dissipating non-renewable natural resources?
Action for Market Towns offer advice to small towns and community groups, including a toolkit for planning sustainable communities