Tony Feliciello, chairman of the Chester and Wrexham branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, was among local business leaders taking part in the federation's mass lobby of Parliament where members encouraged MPs to pursue measures to keep trade local. The mass lobby comes at a time when 2,000 local shops are closing each year throughout the UK.

Conservative leader David Cameron, joined the lobby to pledge his support, and many MPs from all political parties met federation members throughout the day.

Mr Feliciello said: "If we want to save our independent shops then we need to take action now. If we don't, our figures suggest that there will be no small local shops left by 2015.

"It was very encouraging to get so much support for our campaign across the political spectrum and I hope we will get a similar level of support from Assembly Members in Wales."

Michael Learmond, the FSB's regional organiser for North Wales and Chester, said: "Our campaign is about keeping trade local in terms of encouraging local authorities to offer contracts and services within the local area.

"It's not just good for the environment, it's good for the local economy because the money stays within the local economy instead of going to outside contractors.

"We took our campaign to London because our annual conference was there but the next stage is to tak it to the Welsh Assembly and the local authorities."

Mr Feliciello is now urging supporters to sign a petition on the Number 10 website, which can be linked from www.fsb.org.uk