Video: Small Business Saturday bus tour visits Ipswich to promote local trade
Small Business Saturday supporters with the tour bus during its visit to Ipswich ahead of the local trade initiative on December 7. - Credit: Archant
A national bus tour to promote Britain’s first “Small Business Saturday” has visited Ipswich.
The initiative, which takes place on Saturday, December 7, a week today, is designed to raise the profile of small independent companies and to encourage local trade.
It is being supported by all the main political parties as well organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses and the Association of Convenience Stores.
Although new to the UK, Small Business Saturday is an established annual event in the United States.
In Ipswich, the borough council is supporting a “shop local” pop-up market to be held in the Buttermarket Shopping Centre between 10am and 4pm. A wide variety of stalls will be on offer, including gifts, crafts, fashion, jewellery, vintage goods and locally produced food.
The day will also see the launch of Just for Starters, a new entrepreneurial scheme on Ipswich Market, where up and coming traders can apply for the opportunity have a stall for up to four consecutive weeks free of charge.
Carole Jones, portfolio holder for economic development,said: “The Small Business Saturday campaign is a great way of highlighting our small local businesses which play such an important part of our local economy. We are focusing on our town centre but all small businesses across the Borough can get involved and support the initiative.”
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Paul Clement, chief executive of Business Improvement District company Ipswich Central added: “Ipswich has a large collection of fantastic independent businesses that we must celebrate on this grand shopping day. From the vintage independent shops in The Saints to the quirky stores in Blackfriars, it is the small businesses that give Ipswich its unique and bespoke character.”
For more information on the Just for Starters scheme, call Kevin Walker, market supervisor, on 07736 826028 or email kevin.walker@ipswich.gov.uk .
