Recent media reports and commentaries have bemoaned the loss of the traditional high street in towns across Britain. Independent grocers, butchers, fishmongers, bakers and chemists have been driven out of business by superstores and their associated online delivery services.

But here in London, often thanks to the city’s various immigrant communities, many such traders survive, along with post offices, off licences, newsagents and small independent supermarkets. Our shopping parades may not look like the fast-fading stereotype of the high street in a shire market town but they perform the same function, with the added benefit of longer opening hours.

We also have some of the country’s best street markets – not just the tourist destinations like Portobello but local amenities specialising in fresh food at competitive prices.

There are sound reasons for shopping locally and there’s a different logic behind using a superstore. The debate has been widely aired elsewhere and there’s no need to rehash it here. But the decisive argument could be this: you’ll probably feel better about yourself if you stay out of the superstore and support your local independents.