THE personal touch is what keeps customers coming back, according to traders backing our Buy Local campaign.

In Malvern Link many of the independent shopkeepers and store owners have been plying their trade for years on a simple formula of good quality at competitive prices.

Knowing who you’re buying from helps as well, according to Pam Roberts, company secretary at Francis of Malvern in Worcester Road.

“A lot of our staff have been here at least 10 years and in some cases longer,” she said.

“It’s nothing complicated, we just sell good quality at the right price. And when you’ve been around as long as we have – 76 years – people know they can trust the name.”

She said traders in Malvern Link also help each other by passing on business.

“We’ve all been here long enough that we know each other and customers trust us,” she said.

Richard Hammond has been trading at Fruit of the Earth for 33 years and he said convenience was key.

“I offer free delivery to businesses and residents,” he said.

“I make it easy for the customer. Some of them just phone me up and ask me to pick it all for them, they trust me to find what they want and deliver to their door.”

Heath Evans, aged 43, director of Express TV, is the third generation of his family to run the white goods and electricals business, part of the Euronics group.

“We’ve seen a lot of the big name stores come and go here but it’s about quality of service,” he said.

“If it’s a TV we’ll tune it, if it’s a washing machine we’ll fit it and if it breaks we’ll repair it.

“Now with the regional roll-out of the digital switchover we’ve been able to use our local knowledge to our advantage.”