Chichester MP urges shoppers to support independent traders after Small Business Saturday

The MP marked Small Business Saturday, which took place on December 02 and encourages shoppers all over the country to support independent traders, with a visit to The Barn, Little London.

“Businesses like The Barn are what make Chichester so special, representing our area’s unique entrepreneurial spirit and resilience over what has been a challenging few years,” she said.

“As we enter the run up to Christmas, I would encourage everyone in Chichester to think about what they can do to shop and eat locally to a support a small business. This could mean buying some of your Christmas presents at places like Draper’s Yard or Bosham Walk, or popping into your local independent pub or restaurant like La Banca in Selsey with friends and family.”

Small businesses like The Barn make up more than 99 per cent of all UK businesses, accounting for over half of business turnover and employment across the UK.

Emma Schwarz, owner of The Barn, Little London, added: “Small businesses are essential to the High Street, not only for the obvious reasons of local employment and to make sure our High Streets are not homogenised with only big corporate brands. Because small businesses often create ‘soul’ for city and town centres, they also strengthen communities and this vibrancy generates a feeling of wellbeing for everyone.”

Alongside Small Business Saturday, a national initiative which started in 2013, Chichester has its own initiative designed to give local businesses a boost, separate from Small Business Saturday. A recent campaign led by the Chichester Business Improvement District (BID) called “proudly independent. Proudly Chichester,” which aims to raise awareness of the variety of businesses in and around Chichester.

Keegan’s statement also comes after the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, made a number of announcements in his Autumn statement intended to support small businesses, including freezing the small business multiplier for a fourth year in a row and extending the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief scheme. The treasury has estimated that this will save the average independent pub nearly £13,000 next year.