Small Business Saturday

Boroughbridge’s first-ever Small Business Saturday took place in December 2013 and was a resounding success. So what’s to look forward to this year?

Following up on their success in 2013’s Small Business Saturday, Love Boroughbridge’s Sian Foster and Louise Leong are ploughing ahead with planning this year’s drive to get customers back on to the streets of Boroughbridge.
Small Business Saturday UK has national coverage but is a local-level campaign, encouraging people to shop local and support often-struggling small family businesses, online companies and local shops in their communities.
“Getting more local people in to Boroughbridge is a great way to boost sales, generate PR and spread awareness of our wonderful town and its businesses,” claims Sian Foster, owner of accessories store Ella Georgia at 10 Fishergate. “And remember – for every pound that is spent on our high street, between 50p and 70p recirculates in the local economy. If you spend a pound online or out of town, that figure drops to just five pence coming back into the local community,” she explains.

“Getting more local people in to Boroughbridge is a great way to boost sales, generate PR and spread awareness of our wonderful town and its businesses”

Back in July, Louise and Sian put Boroughbridge on the map in a big way. They headed off to London as representatives of Yorkshire’s Small Businesses to help kick off the 2014 Small Business Saturday campaign. They were treated to afternoon tea in the House of Commons with Andrew James, Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, before meeting Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna at a Small Business Saturday reception held at the British Library. They came home with plenty of inspiration.
“This year we hope to involve many more local businesses – and not just those on the High Street – so if you would like to help us organise 2014’s Small Business Saturday, please call in to see me at Ella Georgia, phone me on 07879 844516 or email me at sian@ellageorgia.com,” says Sian, who also provides marketing services for small businesses. “We want this year’s event to be even bigger and better than last year, so really do need local support.”
What has been planned so far is this: Boroughbridge’s second Small Business Saturday will take place on 6 December, when it’s hoped that all shops will stay open late and welcome plenty of shoppers into town. To make an even brighter and bigger splash than last year, Small Business Saturday will be the ultimate event in a week-long Christmas Festival, set to run from 1- 6 December.
Special festive highlights already planned include late-night Christmas shopping on Wednesday 3 December. This will give local people the chance to browse the smart array of independent shops in town and choose from a treasure trove of wonderfully original Christmas gifts. And without giving too much away just yet, Santa will be visiting and carols will be sung. Entry forms for a kids’ treasure hunt on that same night are available now from the Post Office.
Last year both Louise Leong and Sian Foster were nominated for awards in the Small Biz 100 in the UK: Louise for her stores Curvy Brides, Joshua Adams Menswear and old-fashioned pick’n’mix sweet shop, Bailey’s of Boroughbridge; Sian for her store Ella Georgia, selling elegant and unusual accessories and ethically produced jewellery. In 2014, it is the turn of Nigel Hamilton-Evans, who runs the sparkling newly revamped post office with his wife Karen, to be nominated.

If you want to keep up to date with Boroughbridge’s Small Business Saturday campaign online, visit www.loveboroughbridge.com.