Bath MP Don Foster has praised convenience shops in the city.
A report has revealed thousands more people are now employed in local stores across the country.
New figures, published in the Local Shop Report, have shown a small rise in the number of people visiting convenience shops, which are up two per cent this year.
There are 58 convenience shops in Bath, which employ 441 members of staff.
Mr Foster said he recognised their importance, as they compete with larger companies.
"We are really lucky in Bath to have such a wide range of independent shops, and the local shop is a lifeline in the outlying areas.
"I often pop out for a late night pint of milk. These shops are a really valuable part of our local economy," he said.
Of the 441 employees in local shops, 63 per cent of these are women, 19 per cent are aged between 16 to 24, and only six per cent are over 60 years of age.
In the South West, there are 4,741 independent retailers, meaning there is roughly one shop for every 1128 people.
There are 50,747 local stores across England, Wales and Scotland.
The Local Shop Report was published by The Association of Local Convenience Stores (ALC) which sets out the importance of local shops to the UK economy.