Small Business Saturday returns this weekend (2 December) for its eleventh year in the UK.
Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign which highlights small business success and encourages us to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in our communities. It takes place each year on the first weekend in December.
Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, Councillor Jane Meagher, has been out visiting small businesses and enterprises around Leith and the Shore to mark the occasion and celebrate the area’s recent recognition as ‘the best neighbourhood in the UK and Ireland’ at the 2023 Urbanism Awards.
Clockwise Serviced Offices – Located in what was originally a bonded warehouse, Commercial Quay, the building has been converted to create open-plan office space to suit any business.
Shore Deli – Recently opened under new management, The Shore Deli serves breakfast rolls, sandwiches and salads with a wide variety of coffees and cakes.
Destined for Home – An independently run interior and gift studio which places emphasis on high quality, individuality and purpose.
The ‘great neighbourhood’ award is one of five given out each year by The Academy of Urbanism, a network of built environment experts from across Europe. They recognise Britain and Ireland’s best place, street, neighbourhood and town and are based on several factors, including commercial success.
Small Business Saturday is an opportunity to showcase the great mix of independent shops that make Leith, and the rest of the city, such a special place to live, work and visit.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “It was a pleasure to visit some brilliant local businesses in Leith as Small Business Saturday kicks off. The small businesses in and around Leith and the Shore form a huge part of what makes the area so special, and the recent award is testament to this.
“Edinburgh is home to a number of fantastic small businesses that form the backbone of our high streets. They play a key role in our communities, creating vital job opportunities and contributing to the economy.
“As we continue to feel the effects of uncertain economic times, this year more than ever we need to make sure we support small enterprises and contribute everything we can to their success. I would encourage everyone to shop local, not only this Small Business Saturday but all year round.”
Support your local shops this Small Business Saturday
Small Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake urges everyone to support their local small businesses
- Targeted government intervention is addressing gaps in accessing finance from traditional lenders to help them scale up and grow
Small Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake has urged everyone to go out and support their local small businesses this Small Business Saturday.
Small Business Saturday is an initiative which encourages consumers to shop locally and support small businesses in their communities and it falls on the first Saturday of December.
In a call to action the Minister said: “I urge everyone to join me in supporting our local small businesses this Small Business Saturday. The best support we can give them is to shop local this festive season.
“Every penny spent at your local small business is an investment in your community.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed small businesses, charities and local communities to Downing Street for a Christmas Market Festive Showcase on Thursday 30th November ahead of Small Business Saturday, and Minister Hollinrake was able to meet with some of the businesses beforehand.
Engagement with Small Businesses is a government priority, and Minister Hollinrake was able to discuss the important topics of accessing finance as an SME, as well as the issue of late payments, which some of the businesses reported had improved since the Department of Business and Trade published the Prompt Payment and Cash Flow Review, signalling clear government intent to back small businesses in this issue.
Supporting small businesses to scale up and grow is a clear government priority. The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement had a clear focus on growth, creating a favourable business environment that keeps more money in consumer’s pockets and reduces costs for businesses, creating the right environment for businesses to start and scale up. The increase to the National Living Wage to £11.44 an hour, as well as cutting taxes for 29 million workers, increases consumer’ spending power, whilst businesses are supported by a £4.3 billion business rates package.
The government backed British Business Bank is supporting £12.4 billion of finance to over 90,000 businesses across the UK, of which 86% are outside London. The Bank is delivering a £1.6 billion programme of Nations and Regions Investment Funds, to support growing businesses outside London and South East.
Funds covering the South West, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have launched earlier this year, with more to follow. It has issued over 100,000 Start Up Loans since 2012 providing over £1 billion for entrepreneurs at the start of their growth journey, 40% of whom are women and 21% from an ethnic minority background.
UK Export Finance, the government’s export credit agency also provides government backed guarantees on financial products through banking partners. It was recently announced at their customer conference that it is introducing more flexible, fast-track financing for small businesses – making it easier than ever for UK firms to sell in international markets.
Scottish artisan chocolatiers spotlighted this Small Business Saturday
Business Gateway is celebrating the stories of the small business community in Scotland, including Edinburgh-based Quirky Chocolate.
The business creates and sells unique collections of artisan chocolate from a small workshop close to Arthur’s Seat. Founded in 2008 by designer, Sandra Colamartino, who was also the first captain of the Scottish women’s rugby team, the business combines her two favourite things: beautiful design and delicious chocolate.
Sandra began working with a chocolatier to create personalised chocolate bars with unique packaging, which has all been created using plastic-free packaging. Quirky Chocolate is also Fairtrade Cocoa certified, ensuring that the farmers who produce the cocoa that goes into their products are paid a fair price.
Sandra first connected with Business Gateway as she was launching the business, when her local adviser connected her with an accountant.
Having built up an established customer base, Sandra went on to create hand-rolled milk chocolate brussels sprouts in 2014, which became Not on The High Street’s best-selling product for three years in a row. The product resulted in a £1m turnover for the business alone.
Buoyed by these impressive sales, Sandra started to work on products that would sell all year long, and designed and produced the tartan collection, which includes a range of Scottish flavours such as cranachan and millionaire’s shortbread.
Sandra Colamartino, owner, Quirky Chocolate, said: “Our chocolate brussels sprouts were so well received, and generated more sales than we ever could have imagined. We needed to come up with new and exciting products to ensure this steady stream of sales continued.”
Having largely sold to a consumer audience, Sandra and the team began to move into business-to-business (B2B) sales, with a growing portfolio of top hotels in Scotland now stocking Quirky Chocolate products.
Sandra said: “It’s been healthy to have a balance of consumer, wholesale, and business-to-business. If you think of your business as a table, it makes sense that each leg symbolises a different avenue of potential income. If the table only has one leg, and something goes wrong, you’re completely out of the game.”
“The biggest challenge, no matter what field you’re in, is the multitasking element. You must become an expert at everything, whether that be working out insurance policies, how to pay an invoice, or developing a website.
“People tend to use the word ‘resilience’ when talking about setting up a new business, and I totally understand why.”
Since launching, Quirky Chocolate has grown to a team of 16, made up of chocolatiers, production staff, designers and tech gurus. The business has very recently become a living wage employer and plans to grow at a steady speed while taking their employees and freelance illustrators and artists on the journey with them.
Sandra continued: “As the business has matured, I’ve realised that there is so much support on offer from Business Gateway, which isn’t limited to start-up support.
“We’ve recently had a referral from Business Gateway and are looking forward to a member of the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) speaking to our team about where we can make improvements.”
Hugh Lightbody, Chief Officer at Business Gateway, commented: “Small businesses are the backbone of Scotland’s economy. However, recent years have posed various challenges to the sector, which has contributed to Business Gateway receiving over 25,000 enquiries this year. It remains critical that we provide the necessary support.
“We know that business confidence is low in light of recent global circumstances, so it is important we take opportunities such as Small Business Saturday to highlight businesses like Quirky Chocolate, which produces some really beautiful and uniquely Scottish products.
“Our resources, workshops, webinars and network of local advisers at Business Gateway all play a vital role in guiding small business owners through every step of their journey, making sure they have the knowledge and resources needed to thrive.”
To find out more about Business Gateway, visit: https://www.bgateway.com/.