A Holme Valley businesswoman has issued a call to action in the run-up to Small Business Saturday.
Amanda Vigar, who writes as the Business Battleaxe, is urging firms to join the grassroots campaign, which highlights small business success and encourages consumers to “shop local”. Small Business Saturday takes place on December 5.
Amanda, managing partner at tax and business advisers V&A Bell Brown in Holmfirth, said: “Small business are the backbone of the UK’s economy, and it is important that their role in society is celebrated and recognised.
“Not only do they provide services and goods to their local communities, but also make a significant contribution to the country’s wealth and employment figures.
“The initiative is all about getting local people to come and support small businesses in their neighbourhood, and I am throwing down the gauntlet to both small businesses and residents to show their support for Small Business Saturday.”
Amanda, who specialises in supporting small and owner-managed business, said her staff would be offering free consultations on December 5 to all small businesses on topics ranging from accounting and taxation to company secretarial services. Any that become clients will get 10% off their first year fee.
The Federation of Small Businesses said that at the start of 2015 small firms accounted for 99.3% of all private sector businesses in the UK, 48% of private sector jobs and 33% of private sector turnover. They employed 15.6m people and combined sales of £1.75 trillion.
Some 16.5m people shopped in a small independent business on Small Business Saturday in 2014 – a 20% increase in footfall on 2013 or 2.7m more shoppers.
