This weekend marks the third annual Small Business Saturday and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is helping to make it the best one yet.
FSB is calling for people to throw their backing behind the independent Small Business Saturday campaign by supporting their local businesses – both on and off the high street.
As previously reported by Island Echo, the Isle of Wight Council are offering 6 hours of free parking in all long stay car parks between 12:00 – 18:00 tomorrow (Saturday).
Research shows that spending with local businesses gives an extra boost to local economies compared to spending with their larger counterparts. For every £1 spent by a local authority with a small or medium-sized business, 63p is then spent elsewhere in the local area, backing jobs and growth – compared to just 40p in every £1 spent with a larger business. This emphasises the enormous benefit of keeping trade local, and hopefully encourages more people to start looking at ways of supporting the diverse and innovative small businesses in their community.
Neil Eames, Development Manager for Wessex said:
“Last year 16.5 million people turned out to support a local small business on Small Business Saturday, generating an impressive £504 million for small firms in just one day. This year, we are again encouraging everyone to back small firms throughout the economy, not just in retail, to make the day bigger and better than ever. With 5.4 million small businesses in the UK, there has never been a better time to celebrate their contribution to their communities.
“Small Business Saturday has gone from strength to strength and we are excited to support it for the third year running at every level of the FSB – nationally, regionally and locally. We are particularly proud that such a high proportion of those selected for this year’s Small Biz 100 campaign are FSB members.”
In advance of this year’s Small Business Saturday, FSB has been more involved than ever, through working with MPs and councils from all parties, to host events, celebrate the Small Business Saturday Bus Tour, visit leading small businesses in our membership and secure free parking on or near our high streets.
FSB supports small businesses all year round with its ‘Keep Trade Local’ campaign, asking decision makers to consider the small businesses at the heart of the community in their procurement, planning and economic development – both in urban and rural areas.
