As another year comes to a close, this December and in the run up to Christmas, I have been thinking about independent retailers and the part that they play in our high street and community. It is great to see that many small businesses have bounced back from the pandemic and I am glad to see high streets open again this Christmas, and personally, I believe that the local businesses and shops in Shepshed are the lifeblood of the town and local shopping is so important to maintaining that. It is a pleasure to walk through the high street in Shepshed, and that is something which I am sure many of you did on the 3rd of December, for our Small Business Saturday Event.
Small Business Saturday is an annual event where I team up with independent retailers throughout Shepshed to promote their fantastic businesses. On the day, local businesses can offer discounts, offers or vouchers to encourage more people to visit shops and businesses in the town. This is in the hope that you may discover a business that you have not encountered before, or you will see what other things are sold in a shop that you hadn’t noticed before.
This year, I was delighted to work with many small businesses offering discounts in their shops to residents. I would also like to thank Vista Charity shop who's Chera Voce - Shepshed Community Choir offered to sing carols outside their shop front as well as running a tombola to raise funds for their excellent cause.
I hope that people in Shepshed enjoyed the event and perhaps visited a business that they hadn’t previously. However, I really believe in the importance of shopping local where you can. During difficult times, local businesses are often hit hard, so I would urge residents to consider shopping locally all year round so that we can protect our High Street for the future.
I really enjoy seeing local businesses prosper in my constituency which is why I try to visit as many local businesses as I can, which I document on my Social Media, which also has showcased the excellent businesses involved in Small Business Saturday.
As ever, if I can be of any assistance, please do get in touch. Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Jane Hunt MP
