Shipston gears up for Christmas with help from Small Business Saturday

People in Shipston are being urged to support Small Business Saturday by shopping locally on Saturday 6th December – and making full use of the town’s retailers ahead of Christmas.

Small Business Saturday, held on one of the busiest shopping days in the year, aims to celebrate small businesses and to encourage communities to support them. Purchases made from a local business are worth far more locally.  Typically, £1 spent with a small business generates £1.76 to the local economy.

Shipston’s local retailers are planning a host of special offers, events and new services to encourage more people to shop in the town:

•Karl and Sharon Peacock are hoping to provide the answer to ‘what to buy for the man who has everything’ with their new store, M21, at 2 the High Street. Having run The Bakery successfully for nine years, the dynamic duo are expanding into a new market, offering gifts, cards and specialist toiletries for men. 

•The Cotswold Tailor has launched a new Formal Dress Hire service in time for Christmas

•Kids ‘N’ Things on Church Street is giving Father Christmas a helping hand by ensuring there are plenty of toys, games and children’s clothes to fill those Christmas sacks.

•Taste of the Country is continuing its Twelve Tastes of Christmas campaign, with daily tastings of artisan cheeses and Christmas treats. 

•Richard Harvey will have their traditional ‘live shop window’ display on Friday 5th December in celebration of the Victorian evening, and will be marking Small Business Saturday with warm spiced cider and Mum’s homemade mince pies customers.  

This is just a taster of what Shipston has to offer. With independent florists, gift shops and clothing stores, hardware, electrical and furniture shops, and many pubs and cafes, Shipston has your main Christmas needs covered.

Town Mayor, Philip Vial, said: “We are extremely fortunate to have such an impressive range of independent shops in Shipston and I hope local residents will support them, not just on small business Saturday, but every day, so that we continue to have a vibrant town centre for years to come.”

Warwickshire County Council is working with Shipston Town Council, the Federation of Small Businesses and the district council to promote Small Business Saturday. For more information about Shipston’s local businesses, visit www.facebook.com/totallylocallyshipston.