December 5th Is To Be Third Year Of National Initiative To Support Local Businesses

Small Business Saturday, a nationwide event that aims to promote support for the UK's five million small businesses, will return for the third time on December 5th.

Last year's day saw over 16m people support local and independent small businesses, with almost two-thirds of the UK aware of or participating in the event.

Small businesses in the UK account for around 60% of private sector jobs and 50% of private sector turnover. Small Business Saturday was launched to promote, support and inspire this essential, yet sometimes-neglected, pillar of the economy.

As in previous years, a number of events have been planned for the build-up to the day itself, including a nationwide bus tour to promote the concept. A series of free workshops for existing and aspiring small business owners will begin the campaign on April 1st.

Michelle Ovens, national campaign director for Small Business Saturday UK, said: "Last year, small business owners, local authorities, a wide range of other organisations and members of the public really embraced Small Business Saturday.

"It succeeded because people recognised the importance of having a vibrant and successful small business sector and not only came out on the day itself but got involved in the run-up to it in their local communities. We will mobilise that support again this year to achieve our ambition of putting small businesses at the centre of everyone’s lives."

Expert Opinion

Small Business Saturday is a fantastic initiative which puts a great focus on the brilliant work being undertaken by the UK’s growing firms. <br/> <br/>"SMEs are so often referred to by the Government as the lifeblood of the economy and they do indeed play a huge role in driving business forward. Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs and those interesting in starting their own operations to get quality advice and inspiration about how to go about it. <br/> <br/>"Any people looking to establish a start-up should consider all of their options and get the right support from the outset when doing so. Speaking to legal experts is an absolute requisite." Fergal Dowling - Partner