The Barnes Responsible Spend project built a model linking residents’ spending patterns and the survival of local independent businesses. The result showed that if each resident over the age of 18 spends £36 a week in shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants, they can help keep these businesses afloat. The initiative is based on the principle that the high streets in Barnes are the focus of the community, and so should be supported by the community for the contribution they make to the appeal of Barnes; as a place to live and work, but also to the value of residential homes. This initiative aims to give residents a greater awareness of the role they play in the local economy and create a sense that the Barnes community could forge their own economic destiny.