Support local for Small Business Saturday

The grassroots campaign, which is staged on the first Saturday in December in the UK, encourages people to go out and support all types of small businesses. Whether they are online, in offices or in stores.

The UK campaign is trying to think big to give high street tills a boost throughout the festive period.

The removal of lockdown restrictions after Wednesday, December 2 means that Small Business Saturday on Saturday, December 5, will be the first of three Saturdays to champion local shops and within our communities.

Now in its eighth year, Small Business Saturday UK last year saw an estimated £800 million spent in small businesses by a record 17.6 million customers.

Paul Cartwright, the chairman of Pontefract Civic Society, said: “However West Yorkshire moves through different phases of lockdown and government imposed tiers, we would encourage readers to ‘shop local’.

“The wealth of independent family run businesses are the life-blood of the high street, and we are very lucky to have them, when other towns and cities have streets upon streets of closed shops.

“Over recent years, Pontefract has bucked the trend, and has remained generally a healthy commercial centre for the east of the district.

“So, whether it’s a business that’s fully open, one doing click and collect, or one restricted to a takeaway service, when doing your day to day shopping or Christmas preparation, we would implore you to think ‘Pontefract first’.

“These business owners need your support even more, and in return, they will remain in our community.”

From high streets to markets there are countless businesses that need support.

Phil Dobson, a stallholder and traders’ representative at Castleford Market, said: “We just want people to support local independent traders.

“We are competing with websites like Amazon, eBay, and the big retailers. We would like the public to stay safe when they see us and support us as much as they can.

“We hope we can get back to bit more normality to pick up the Christmas trade.”

Both the Federation of Small Businesses and British Independent Retailers Association continue to encourage customers to “stay local, shop local”.

Federation of Small Businesses national chair Mike Cherry emphasised: “Small businesses are well and truly at the heart of our communities.

“That’s why it’s never been more important to support your local firms and, by extension, the community in which you live”.

British Independent Retailers Association chief executive Andrew Goodacre agreed. “The run-up to Christmas is an essential time for retail. Shopping is safe. All the evidence tells us that.

“Money spent locally is recycled locally, often paying for local suppliers, local people for their work and preserving local livelihoods. Every thriving community needs this local economy to prosper.”

A Small Business Saturday spokesman said: “The day itself takes place on the first Saturday in December each year but the campaign aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses.”