Small shops - trying to survive in competitive times

Corner shops

What is the future of the traditional corner shop?

Some experts are warning that in as little as 10 years, small shops like butchers, grocers and corner shop convenience stores could disappear from our high streets, if nothing is done to protect them.

The big four - ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrisons - control 75 percent of the market.

But what happens to the small shops that live in their shadow?

Are the supermarkets to blame or are shopkeepers failing to change with the times?

Decline in business

At Heanor in Derbyshire butcher Keith Poynter certainly blames the supermarkets for the decline in his business.

Eighty years after his grandfather set up the first Poynters, Keith has closed the family firm for good.

End of an era - Keith Poynter outside his family shop

Inside Out was there on his last day behind the counter.

Keith says, "People don't want to walk around here when they can park for free and buy it all at the supermarket. You can't park here. It's all against us".

At one time in Heanor there were eight or nine butchers.

Since Poynters closed, there are none.

Regulars told us why they would miss more than just the quality of the produce.

Some have been going there for more than 30 years.

As one customer told us, "they call you by your first name. It's that personal touch you don't get in the supermarket".

Survival of the fittest

Malcolm Fountain has been supplying small shops in the East Midlands for nearly 40 years.

He's seen them come and go.

Malcolm is adamant that businesses can prosper and survive if they're run properly and believes a lot of problems they face are self inflicted.

Last hours - many small shops fail to survive

Out on his rounds around Leicestershire he showed us why it's the survival of the fittest with or without the supermarkets.

He says, "If you want to be a professional shopkeeper, you just sell your house and that's it. Any other career and you'd have years of training".

In Leicester Ken Patel has been opening his shop at the same time for more than 20 years.

He works a 90 hour week. Ken told us:

"The government should tell Sainsburys and Tescos enough is enough, you can't open any more shops in this area. We'll disappear from the face of the earth if nothing is done."

Retail specialist Joshua Bamfield from the Centre for Retail Research in Nottingham thinks Ken is right, something has to be done:

"More could be done about planning controls and local authorities could treat small shops better than they are." But he's positive about the future. "We believe that small shops will continue to exist perhaps in smaller numbers than at the moment".

Links relating to this story:

• BBC News - Corner shops risk dying out
• Centre for Retail Research
• British Retail Consortium

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Training for war

Trainee Tim is put through the gruelling training programme

Inside Out visits RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

It's the home of the Royal Air Force College where for 80 years the future leaders of the RAF have been trained.

But in 2006 it's a very different world - warfare has changed and so have the cadets Cranwell teaches.

So how do you mould young cadets into the elite leaders of the future in just 32 weeks?

Meet the trainees

Kate used to be a beauty therapist and now she's wearing war fatigues.

Cliff was a professional ballet dancer and now he's leading an enemy patrol.

And Tim is struggling to keep awake after 18 hours on duty as he follows his dream of becoming a helicopter pilot.

Brothers in arms - the trainees tough it out at RAF Cranwell

They are all officer recruits at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

Inside Out follows a group of recruits as they embark on a brand-new training course.

It's the biggest challenge many of them have ever faced in their lives - and not all will make it.

The failure rate first time around is 25 per cent.

But even those who don't make it first time are determined to try again, despite the dangers.

"You know you'll put your life on the line, "Tim told us.

"But that's something I'm prepared to do."

Links relating to this story:

• RAF Cranwell
• RAF

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Brass band

High hopes - the band at the National Championships

The strains of brass band music are a familiar sound for the residents of Long Eaton in Derbyshire.

A brass band has rehearsed on Salisbury Street for 100 years.

But this year the pressures on.

In their centenary year the Silver Prize Band has made it through to the National Brass Championships in Harrogate.

It's a huge event for a band which defies the stereotypes.

This band isn't connected to a pit or a factory, their players aren't all from Yorkshire, and they're led by a woman.

Emotional journey

Sharon Stansfield originally joined in 1970 but then left to play with other bands.

Now she's returned as conductor - one of the few female brass conductors in the country.

Brass tacks - back to basics at rehearsals

She told us, "We've got all sorts, young and old, company directors and computer programmers. You won't find any cloth caps or whippets here!"

One of youngest band members is 10-year-old George Ramplin who says playing percussion in the band is all part of his masterplan to become a rock musician.

"I think I'll be doing this all my life," he told us, "Well, at least until I retire."

We followed the band on an emotional journey up the A1 to Harrogate and watched in amazement as they scooped the top honours in their class.

Sharon could barely contain her joy:

"What an achievement - and what a way to celebrate our centenary!"

Links relating to this story:

• National Brass Band Championships

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites