It has been over 200 years since the first record of the French aphorism that the English are “a nation of shopkeepers”. What was meant as an insult, we have turned into a compliment, adopting the moniker as testament to our entrepreneurial spirit and our sense of community.
While our economy is now much more diverse, there are now a record 5.7 million smaller businesses in the UK, contributing a huge £1.9 trillion to the economy this year. Small Business Saturday, which falls on the first Saturday of December, (just in time for Christmas) is an opportunity to give them our support. Not only does it look and feel good to have thriving local independent businesses in our area, but it has been found that for every £1 spent in a local small business, 63p remains in the local economy.
This year, it is estimated that an impressive £748 million was spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday, which represents a 4% increase from the £717 million spent last year. Public awareness of the initiative is spreading fast, with social media coverage reaching record numbers. Small Business Saturday UK was trending at number one in the UK on Twitter, with over 115,000 tweets reaching in excess of 115 million people. In turn, 56% of those aware of the day said they spent more than usual – which is testament to the success of the initiative.
Now in its fifth year, Small Business Saturday continues to attract the support of the British public, who were out in force on 2 December. Along with the Mayor I was privileged to open the brilliant Kenilworth Christmas Market on the day, where I was able to browse the stalls and join other Christmas shoppers eager to find festive gifts. I was also able to promote the successful ‘Buy One Present in Kenilworth Campaign’, which encourages local people to support the local high street by sourcing at least one gift locally. A healthy retail sector is vital to the future of Kenilworth and other towns, and I was pleased to present prizes for the Shop Window competition, which rewards those shops whose displays entice shoppers through their doors.
Small Business Saturday provides an opportunity for small businesses to be put under the spotlight, but those who run them work tirelessly throughout the year. So, if you’re stuck for the perfect present for any occasion, why not try one of our local small businesses, and help our whole community?