From butchers and bakers to chocolate makers, you'll find some great options to buy local in each of Dorset's towns and villages.
Shop Local
We are extremely proud that a large amount of our shops are small, independent retailers. They give our town high streets their character and makes them different from other towns. Just imagine if every high street and shopping centre looked exactly the same as each other!
And now more than ever, its really important to support our local shops. If everyone spent £5 a week in independent shops rather than chain stores and branded shops, it would mean there would be £13.5 billion re-invested in Britain's economy. This would support local jobs and keep money going around the local area instead of going overseas.
Many retailers are now offering online shopping, so you can buy from home and get a slice of Dorset delivered to your door.
Made in Dorset
There are a huge number of artisans who make, create or upcycle in Dorset and sell their wares in the local shops, galleries or emporiums. So whether it’s a winter hat knitted with wool from Corfe Castle sheep, natural soaps made with Dorset honey or handmade bags crafted from hand-printed material, you know that it’s made with local products, by local people and you can buy it in local shops too – a triple win!
We’re very proud of our local producers and makers, and their unique products are sold all over Dorset. Some are available online aswell, so you can purchase a little piece of Dorset from anywhere in the world.
Dorset Food and Drink
Want to eat in a restaurant where the food on your plate has come from their own kitchen garden or that the wine in your glass is from the local vineyard? Well that’s not a problem as there are hundreds of eateries all over Dorset who serve local produce.
And as we know it’s important to you to know exactly where your fish or steak has come from, if it was farmed or caught in Dorset, we’ll definitely be telling you about it, so look on the menu for local specialities.
If you’d like to take home some Dorset food and drink, there are plenty of choices to tickle your taste buds, from cakes and cheese to beer and beef. Look out for it in our farm shops and markets when you're visiting.
Small Business Saturday
Every year in December, Small Business Saturday takes place. It’s a day when everyone is actively encouraged to shop with small, independent retailers and traders – those people who fill our Great British high streets with unique and individual shops. And it’s just those shops where you find interesting or handmade clothing, accessories or homewares that you won’t find in chain stores.
So support our small businesses and shops in the run up to Christmas or indeed at any time of year, and help keep our British high streets Great!
Dorset Clothing
Did you know that the clothing brands Animal and Brakeburn were both originally created in Poole? Dorset’s amazing scenery and landscapes not only inspire some of the brands designs but are also a natural playground for its staff to let loose and boost their creative juices.
Independent Traders
