AFTER the struggles of the coronavirus pandemic, many of us will be looking to give something back to those small businesses who helped us get through.
In Gwent we have an array of fantastic independent businesses, from breweries to restaurants, record stores to something a bit different.
Independents' Day is a campaign that, in partnership with Local Rewards, exists to support and promote independent retail businesses across the UK.
In Newport alone, we have great pubs like Tiny Rebel and Le Pub, places to eat like Holy Cheesus, Vittorio's, and of course all the great chippys in the city.
The oft-maligned city centre is chock full of much-loved independents like Diverse, Sin City and Freestyle.
This year, Independent's Day will be celebrated this weekend - July 2 and 3 - to highlight the good that so many independent businesses can bring to city and town centres across the country.
Independent business owners face a multitude of issues when setting up.
We also recently highlighted the cluster of small, independent businesses in one area of Newport, and met traders in Chepstow to hear about their experiences.
To find out more about Independents Day, visit independentsdayuk.org
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