Labour MPs and councils will be organising and taking part in events across Britain to support and promote local traders, including High Street fairs in town centres while elsewhere pop up shops will be springing up to offer their wares.
Small Business Saturday is set to return this weekend as consumers are encouraged to ‘shop small’ and celebrate the contribution of entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Labour MPs and councils will be organising and taking part in events across Britain to support and promote local traders, including High Street fairs in town centres while elsewhere pop up shops will be springing up to offer their wares.
To celebrate the day in Swindon, Labour's Parliamentary Candidate Anne Snelgrove and her team of enthusiastic Labour members will be visiting a number of independent retailers in the town centre, starting with lunch at Portuguese restaurant U Piri Piri. They will then move on to The Little Rose Cottage and Krafty Monkey in the Brunel Centre, take in the many quirky retailers in the Tented Market, and end with coffee at newly opened Kaspa's Desserts.
Small Business Saturday UK was initiated by Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna MP following the success of the concept in the USA.
Anne Snelgrove said, 'Last year, Britain’s first ever Small Business Saturday was a huge success, with an additional £500m ringing through the tills of small firms while 40 per cent of local authorities took part. We had a great time visiting lots of Swindon's independent retailers and this year we're visiting a different but equally interesting group of shops and restaurants. I hope everyone in Swindon will shop local in the run up to Christmas.'
Labour has announced plans to cut – then freeze – business rates for small firms which have seen soaring bills under the Tory-led government. Since 2010, small businesses have seen business rate hikes of £1,500 on average. Labour would also take tough action to tackle late payment to small firms and freeze their energy bills