Small Business Saturday celebrates hidden gems across Rochdale

Small Business Saturday - 6 December 2014

As part of Small Business Saturday, a competition is being run to find Rochdale’s hidden gem.

To highlight the many small businesses located across the borough of Rochdale, Blue Orchid has run the competition to give local business people the opportunity to promote and raise the importance of supporting small businesses and purchasing locally.

25 small businesses have been shortlisted for the prize, with members of the public now being asked to vote for their favourite small business.

Nigel Stanley, from Annis Hill Farm, said: “We feel that we are a hidden gem in the borough being a tourist attraction and we hope to keep building on our current success and become a unique tourist destination for Rochdale. If we were to win it would recognise all of our hard work from the beginning until now and will show people that Rochdale is a nice place to come for your holiday.”

Neela Jackson, from the Star Tree Studio in Littleborough, said: “The studio is often referred to as a hidden gem so when the opportunity to apply for this award as part of Small Business Saturday came up, we couldn’t miss it.

“If the studio won this award then it would have great impact on the business going forward, support our development of provision and access to funding. In essence it would help open more doors and in turn enable us to continue to provide this unique and positive service to our local community. It would be an amazing accolade and a scoop for Littleborough too.”

Julie Harris Webb, from Littleborough Business Centre, said: “It would mean everything if we were to win. People often comment that we are a hidden gem because of our location and some people say we are like Dr Who’s Tardis so it would be brilliant if we won. It would be nice to get that acknowledgment for all of the hard work we have done over the past six months as a new businesses.”

Jacquie Dike, from M24 Arts, said: “We are a small, family run business and when you start a business it is a lot of hard work with not a lot of financial return but the return from the community has been nothing but positive. I think if we won the award it would raise our profile a little bit more and show us off to the community. If people support us we will be around for longer and we are seeing that we are becoming a central hub for the crafting community in Rochdale so that is nice.”

Lee Barnfield, from Lions Telecom, said: “It would be great if we were to win because it would raise our profile and let people know a bit more about what we do and that we are here. We have some of the biggest contracts in the UK at the minute and we are only in our second year.”

Marie Porter, from Flashy Floozy, said: “I think as a small business it is a great competition to get involved with because as a small business you often need that little extra push to be heard.

“If I was to win I think it would be a huge shout out to show people that I am here and show off my business. I only launched in June this year so it would be nice if people recognised that I was here and recognised what I do. I have been making jewellery all of my life but I was made redundant in January so launching this business has been a massive change for me. Winning would show off our products and show people the unique things that I do.”

Andy Lavery, from Real Power, said: “Real Power has only been going for a few months so the competition was recommended to me. I have had some good feedback with people telling me I have been doing well so I thought this would help a little bit more. If I was to win I think it would offer me a bit more of a platform and put me in line with other businesses. I don’t do what other gyms do and just get people in for the money. I see it as more of a personal thing and I try and help people whether that be mentally or physically.”

Keiley Lord, from Sparkle Fairy Maids, said: “I think we are a one of a kind business who are different to a lot of other cleaning companies. We offer more of a personal service than some companies so I think it is nice to tell people about that.

“If we were to win then it would help us a lot and it would be a lot easier for us. We would be able to process new clients using the IPad instead of waiting to get home and use the laptop. We could also process payments quicker so it would just make everything a lot easier.”

Rebecca Beer, from Sweet Things, said: “We have been a business for nearly two years now so I thought it would be a good thing to get involved with. If we were to win I think it would give us that extra boost and raise our profile a bit more and let people know we are here.”

Janine Rez, from Queenie Beenie’s Crafty Cabin and Loopy Lou, said: “I think in a way I am a hidden gem because I am not like a shop where I can stand out, I work from home so in some ways that makes me harder to find. If I was to win the competition then it would help me show people my services and let people know about the work that I do. My business is a unique business so winning the award would just help me show my services off to people a bit more.”

Liz Knott, from Party Cake Kit, said: “At the minute, I am only trading on Facebook so I thought it would be a really good idea to show off my business to a wider audience. I think winning would give me a bit more exposure and the IPad would help me with the business and make things go a little faster.”

Eddie Pope, from What’s Your Beef, said: “I entered the competition in the hope of winning the prestigious award. At this early stage in my trading it would be a great boost to my business and I could use this to help promote the What's your Beef venture.

“I have always had a passion for good food and high quality ingredients so I decided to give up my job and open a street food burger outlet selling burgers made from locally sourced grass fed beef with the best flavour cuts of meat available. My business will bring a high quality street food and a catering service to the Rochdale area as well as the rest of Greater Manchester.”

Amanda Williams, from Love Invited, said: “I wanted to get involved because it is a local completion for local businesses. Even though I am an online business as well, I like having the local aspect to my business and having local customers and meeting with local people. It would be lovely to win and it would mean that I could push my business out there a bit more and let people know that I am here.”

Click to visit the Blue Orchid website and vote