I like the idea of the fiver fest and certainly appreciate the efforts of those who put time into organising it and providing offers at their businesses...but it does feel like a few businesses are doing so somewhat begrudgingly.

I've 'shopped local' for years and this has become an easier and more enjoyable experience recently with so many great independents setting up. So I've not really needed the 'fiver' thing to entice me in to local businesses. That said, I've enjoyed some decent deals through it - some nice sausages and bacon at The Butchery for instance.

If anything though, it has achieved the opposite of its aims with me for a couple of businesses. I've been in a couple of uncomfortable positions of having to ask why I'm not 'qualifying' for the promotion; the deal being begrudgingly given only when querying a bill; been told that I need to drag my two kids and a load of heavy shopping back to the far end of Dartmouth Road and back, in the rain, to collect a map so that I can claim one particular shop's offer; told by that same shop (different occasion) that the event finished on the 14th when the posters say the 15th so I can't take their offer.

I've not named and shamed as they are my experiences and need only affect my own shopping habits. Money is tight and the businesses I have had less good experiences with are in competitive markets so I can save money shopping elsewhere and happily spend extra in the many local independents who offer great services.

If fiver fest does run again I hope businesses don't feel pressurised into taking part so that only those who feel able to offer something do so.