Residents living within a 1 kilometre radius of Richmond and Twickenham town centres will shortly receive a map of the town urging them to “Walk Local  Shop Local” between 9th February and 30th April.  Their reward is a discount offered by participating shops who have to stamp the map.

“Quite what this campaign costing £25,000 will achieve is unclear” said Conservative business spokesman, Cllr Pamela Fleming.  “Is the Council asking retailers to interrogate their customers to find out if they have walked rather than driven?  Quite apart from discriminating against those who can not walk great distances what about the impact on  neighbourhood shopping parades, who will lose customers as they are enticed away from them?

"Even the timing, just after the January sales, when many shops have new stock they don’t want to discount, shows how little the LibDems know about retail after all their years in control.

“This is just another example of the LibDems dictating to people rather than consulting.  It will do nothing to persuade people to walk.  If the Council has money to spend on shops; ask retailers what they want!  Far better than wasting £25,000 of residents’ hard earned money on another barmy idea that will help no-one.”