Someone somewhere knows something in Norwich

Have you every had what appears a simple request but to answer it you need to contact some part of a council or local authority set up to service such a request?

I needed a list of local independent retailers, a sector deemed rather important to Norwich. So, I made a call to the city's economic development unit. Then, I was directed to the local Business Link, who never answer their phone, or get back on messages left. Then another phone call, then another, then finally when I thought I came across someone who I thought would have the answer. They promptly told me to call the people who were first in the chain.

So I gave up. Did a Google. 15 minutes later I had the list emailed to be in an Excel table via a company based in Devon.

It does make you wonder. What value are many local authority 'economic development' people actually delivering to the local economy?