Stephen Metcalfe MP
supported Small Business Saturday last weekend by shopping locally and meeting
local businessmen and women in South Basildon and East Thurrock.
Consumers took to the high
street in Basildon and Thurrock and up and down the country as hundreds of
businesses took part in the campaign, many offering flash sales and one off
promotions to reinforce the benefits of shopping locally. Small Business
Saturday aims to encourage everyone in the UK to support their local small
businesses and high streets on Saturday 7th December and beyond.
The local MP expressed his
support by visiting a variety of local businesses including Prime Cut Butchers
in Stanford-Le-Hope, Cranberries Gift Shop and Sprogs Company in Corringham Shopping Centre, and Hooper Properties in Pitsea.
Mr Metcalfe commented:
“Small Business Saturday is a fantastic initiative that has renewed people’s
interest in local shops. As I have seen for myself, there are some great local
businesses in South Basildon and East Thurrock and I hope that they will feel
the long lasting impact of Small Business Saturday.”
“Thank you to all those
who took to the streets to support businesses in Basildon and Thurrock and I
would encourage my constituents to continue to support them throughout the
Christmas period and into 2014!”
Small Business Saturday
came after a plethora of measures were announced by Government to support
business in the UK:
£1,000 off business rate
bills for all retail premises with a rateable value up to £50,000 for 2014/15
and 2015/16. This includes shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants.
A 2% cap on everyone’s
business rate increases.
A new reoccupation relief,
which will halve the rates bills of businesses taking over premises empty for
over a year.
The doubling of Small
Business Rate Relief is being extended to April 2015 and expanded.
Mr Metcalfe added: “This
Government is clearly on the side of small businesses and I look forward to
seeing them grow and flourish in South Basildon and East Thurrock under these
new measures.”
