In a shock result Torbay won the seat with a comfortable margin, continuing a trend in NSW country areas for National Party candidates to be rejected in favour of local independents.

"Alternatives are supposed to provide competition as local independents," he said.

Its customers range from large national contractors to local independents.

I've also found the card selections of John Lewis and Waitrose to be pretty excellent, as are local independents (honourable mention for the Tokenhouse in Nottingham).

National Book Tokens can be spent in thousands of bookshops across the UK and Ireland, including all major chains and local independents.

Declining business, however, would force the IPWA's eventual close, along with many other local independents, by the spring of 2001.

McGrath also led up the build-up of the Paramount TV station group from 14 local independents to 27 stations for the launch of the UPN network, formerly America's fifth major broadcast network.

Edinburgh is a shining example of how all cities should organise their shops: big names, local independents, plus the downright quirky, all nicely separated into mini-districts for easy browsing.

All three things that local independents can't do.

Both the Labour party and local independents also campaigned against the 1,300 houses to be built in Hailsham, with the independents saying more houses should be built in the north of the council area.