THERE has not been a lot of good news for local high streets in recent times.

Many towns are still smarting from the demise of Woolworth’s.

We’ve watched the disappearance of such brand names as Threshers, Habitat, MFI and Zavvi.

The likes of HMV and Waterstones have seen their profits shrink.

And in recent days, the Game Group has been in administration and seen branches close.

So it’s good to see one local shop, Peacocks in Parkstone, re-open, six weeks after its sudden closure.

The number of jobs saved may not be huge, but each one means a lot to the household concerned. And many people in retail cannot easily pursue jobs in other parts of town.

The staff at Ashley Road have good reason to celebrate. And the rest of us might want to resolve to use our high street shops more often. These days, it’s a case of “use it or lose it”.