Small Business Saturday UK approaches this weekend

The nationwide grass roots campaign which celebrates and supports all types of small firms across the UK is to be staged this weekend.

Small Business Saturday UK enters its seventh year, with the day dedicated to encouraging consumers to support small, independent retailers across the country. Its organisers believe it to be the most successful campaign for small business owners in the UK.

Small Business Saturday UK kick-starts with a nationwide bus tour of 27 different towns and cities in the five weeks leading up to Saturday 7th December.

Starting in Blackpool and concluding in Brixton, London, the tour offers free one-hour mentoring sessions for all entrepreneurs in each location and inspires them to think of new ways to reach out to local consumers.

In 2018, Small Business Saturday UK raised an estimated £812 million for small, local businesses nationwide, surpassing 2017’s record total of £748 million along the way.

Over 90% of local councils now support the campaign, with initiatives such as free parking introduced to incentivise local shoppers to buy local.

Michelle Ovens MBE, director, Small Business Saturday UK, said: “Each year this campaign has grown in support from government, business and communities alike, and so we can’t wait for December 7th to come round and put small businesses in the spotlight once again.

“Small businesses are the heart of their communities with 5.6 million keeping their local economies moving, providing jobs, training and unique services.

“Small Business Saturday is a campaign that celebrates these heroes – a day to celebrate the work they do in their communities, and we have seen the long-term results with record numbers spent on Small Business Saturday each year.

“But this is not just a campaign for one day, we want it to inspire more people to support their local independents on a regular basis.”

Are you keen to get your small business involved in Small Business Saturday UK this weekend? There are plenty of ways you can promote your local business and make the most of the campaign.

You can register and advertise your business on the campaign’s Small Business Finder and download and print the campaign’s logos and marketing pack to display in and around your store.

Date published 5 Dec 2019 | Last updated 25 Sep 2020