Small Business Saturday proves a hit with local businesses

Small Business Saturday
Angela Jenkin owner of Number Ten Gallery with Simon Danczuk MP

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When it comes to Christmas shopping, the best things really do come in small packages, as Small Business Saturday was celebrated across the borough on Saturday (6 December).

Angela Jenkin, Owner of Number Ten Gallery in Rochdale town centre, said: “When you spend money in local small businesses 70 per cent of the money you spend goes back into the local economy. The figure is significantly less for chains. And you are usually helping more than one small business, as much of what we sell is made by local suppliers.”

Over in Number One Riverside, local accountant Ruth Pringle, who was named one of the Small Biz Sat 100 businesses from across the country to front the national campaign, ran a free advice workshop for new and upcoming businesses.

Rochdale Online offered businesses the opportunity to won a free advertorial worth £150.

Shops in each township also competed for best dressed festive window.

Browns Handcrafted Cakes won the Rochdale best dressed window. Natasha Brown from Brown’s Handcrafted Cakes said: “It was lovely to win. It was fantastic. The window took a few days to get together and we did it based on when Father Christmas has finished all of his deliveries and is tired. We did a backdrop of a cabin with a fireplace and then made a Father Christmas. His face is made out of sugar paste so that was nice to do and the display will be up until after Christmas.”

Jellabeans Party Occasions, won the Castleton best dressed window. Owned by Craig and Janine Bamford the business has only been open a month. Craig Bamford said: “It was great to win. We have only been open a month so it was nice to get that recognition. I think it is a good way to show some community spirit and get everyone in a good mood. It’s nice when people look in the window and see what we have done.”

Tayler James Florist decorated their window with a snowman theme and won the competition in Heywood. Nicola Quinn from Tayler James Florist said: “Debby was overwhelmed to win. It took a lot of planning and a lot of thought to put everything together.”

Sandra Holt, from Silk and Sugar, in Middleton said: “It was really good to win. It was lovely. We didn’t expect it at all but it was nice to be told we had won.” Silk and Sugar won the competition in Middleton after decorating their window with snow, icicles and robins.

Best Dressed in Littleborough turned a Christmas Tree into a dress for their window design. Joanne Matthews said: “It was a shock to win but we put a lot of hard work into the design so it was worth it in the end. Clare who did the window is really into doing things like that so we always try hard to have nice windows and to keep up.”

Do Dig Doggy won the competition in Milnrow. Phillip Endley from Do Dig Doggy said: “I was overwhelmed when we were told we had won. We do the window every year but don’t really get involved with competitions and things so I was a bit taken a back when they told me. I’m delighted.”

Do Dig Doggy has dressed its window with a scene of dogs eating Christmas dinner with Father Christmas.

Rochdale Council Leader Richard Farnell, said: “It’s great that so many people turned out to mark Small Business Saturday, now in its second year in the UK. Our council is doing everything it can to support businesses by introducing free parking from 10am in council owned town centre car parks during the Christmas and January sales period and permanently slashing parking prices from next April. We are also bringing forward proposals to offer huge discounts on business rates as part of an innovative pilot scheme. We are hoping that this support package will mean that by this time next year we will have even more fantastic small businesses to celebrate as part of this national event.”

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Small Shops Group, said: “It’s great to have a day in the year to celebrate all the benefits that small businesses bring to the local economy. These kinds of shops are what make town centres unique.”