The new Vice Chancellor of Keele University has launched an initiative to support local businesses as he settles in to life in Staffordshire.
Kevin Shakesheff began his role at Keele on 1 September, relocating to the area from Nottinghamshire.
This year, he is trying to buy more from local shops and businesses and spend less online. He is inviting Keele students and staff, and members of the business community to discover local independents with him.
He told Daily Focus: “I have always enjoyed the convenience of online shopping, but that usually means that money goes out of the local region.
“As a big employer, we have got a responsibility to keep the local economy as vibrant as possible.
“We have 15,000 or so students at Keele and a couple of thousand staff and we’re trying to encourage them to keep as much money local as we can.”
Kevin aims to spend money in a different ‘interesting local place’ on a weekly basis.
His tour started off at coffee shop Piccoloco which recently opened a branch at the Keele in Town building in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
He then visited Anasma Greek Bakery, also in Newcastle, before stopping off at Vellichor Books in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, earlier this week.
Upcoming visits include one to Titanic Brewery – but Kevin is open to suggestions and is encouraging conversation about good local independent businesses on his LinkedIn page where he uses the #ShopLocal2026. He also hopes special guests will join him on some of his trips.
Kevin added: “Piccoloco was a natural first stop for me because it’s in Keele in Town. It’s a great coffee shop.
“From there, people recommended Anasma. I have been to Greece but don’t think I have ever been to a Greek bakery in the UK. It was really high quality and an interesting experience.
“There was a really nice atmosphere in Vellichor Books. Lots of people were popping in while we were there, it had a good community feel.
“I’ll try to work my way around many of the places people suggest.”
