If you care about Putney’s tomorrow, back Morrows today

There are few people more quietly dedicated to Putney than Graham Morrow.

Whether it’s showing up to Met community meetings to advocate for better policing against local shoplifting, meeting with council officials to argue the case for small businesses, or—just last week—suggesting a legal route to challenge the council’s botched redesign of the Putney Bridge junction, Graham is there. Calm, well-prepared, constructive, and above all committed.

So when I walked past Morrows this week—the menswear shop he runs with son Philip on the corner of Putney High Street and Lacy Road—and saw Graham outside putting up a sign announcing a crowdfunding campaign to keep the business alive, I was genuinely shocked. Not surprised, perhaps. We’ve all seen the footfall drop, the shutters go up, and the chains take over. But still shocked.

Because Morrows is exactly what we say we want more of in Putney. A proper independent shop. Locally rooted. Family run. Passionate about British-made goods. Socks from Leicestershire. Ties from Suffolk. Flat caps from the Outer Hebrides. Throws from Tipperary. Every item in the shop has a story—and someone behind it who cares.

Philip Morrow is the fifth generation in the family business, which began in Liverpool in 1873. He spent years building the modern incarnation—first online, then through pop-ups, and eventually into the permanent space in Putney they’ve occupied for a decade. He had his birthday in the shop on Thursday. Friends and locals popped in to say hello. That’s the kind of relationship Morrows has with its community.

But now that community is being asked to step up.

The shop needs to raise £165,000—not to expand, or pay off investors, but simply to restock. To get back to where they were in 2019, before COVID, supply chain chaos, the closure of key UK suppliers, a 140% rise in business rates, and the hollowing-out of the High Street made things unsustainable. In practical terms, they’re offering vouchers—£30, £60, or more—for use in-store or online, valid from the day they’re issued. It’s not a handout. It’s a commitment to shop local.

Putney problems

We all know the reasons why footfall in Putney is down. Traffic is a nightmare. Parking is worse. The Putney Bridge junction redesign is a dog’s breakfast. And too many of the shops that are open don’t offer much worth staying for. It’s become a mix of betting shops, vape stores, fast food chains and the same coffee brands you can find in every postcode.

We talk a lot about wanting Putney to be more like Barnes or Wimbledon or Richmond. But what are we actually doing about it?

At the recent Putney Action Group survey, more than a third of respondents said they earned over £100,000 a year. This is not a deprived neighbourhood. This is an area full of professionals who helped build businesses, teach students, manage hospitals, litigate cases, and run charities. We can afford to invest in where we live.

And we should. Because yes, you can buy cheaper socks online. Yes, TK Maxx or Amazon will offer something “similar” for half the price. But it won’t be the same. I have a pair of gloves from Morrows that have only got better with time. My family still fights over who gets the merino wool throw. And I still get comments about how comfy the socks I gave as Christmas presents are—years later.

When I told Graham I was going to be the first crowdfunder with a £60 pledge, I asked if he’d prefer it as a donation. He said no. “We want people coming in and supporting the business,” he said. Shop credit was better than free money. Why? Because what matters is community.

So Putney, this is the test. If you have ever complained about the state of the High Street… if you’ve ever wished we had more independent shops… if you’ve ever rolled your eyes at another fried chicken joint opening up… if you’ve ever said we need to support British industry…

Then now is the moment to act.

Back Morrows. Go in. Buy something. Pledge. Tell your neighbours. Because if we don’t, we can’t complain when the corner of Lacy Road ends up hosting our seventeenth fast food outlet.

It’s not just about saving a shop. It’s about deciding what kind of town we want Putney to be.