This Saturday (December 3) sees the tenth anniversary of Small Business Saturday here in the UK.
Small Business Saturday is a grass roots, non-commercial campaign, highlighting small business success and encourages us to 'shop local' and support small businesses in our communities.
Edinburgh is already an excellent place to do business, with the strongest city economy outside London in the UK. According to the Federation of Small Businesses, the Edinburgh Central Scottish Parliament constituency is the ‘most enterprising in Scotland’ with 10,075 businesses, more than any other in the country.
Since Edinburgh’s accreditation as a ‘Living Wage City’ in 2021, we have seen a record-breaking increase in new accreditations with close to 120 more employers committing to pay the living wage and giving guaranteed direct pay rises to 1,400 workers. More than 580 businesses in Edinburgh are now accredited as ‘Living Wage employers’, the most of any Scottish city. The Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group was also recently presented with the Outstanding Leadership Award at the Scottish Living Wage Awards 2022.
However, despite these successes we are conscious that many businesses are going through a difficult period, and we are committed to supporting them to the best of our ability.
In advance of Saturday’s event, the Depute Lord Provost, Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron has been out visiting small businesses around the Capital.
Pekoe Tea Edinburgh on Leith Walk is run by Jon Cooper and Esther Kungu-Cooper. Their handcrafted blends are made and packed at their tea factory in Leith. Their single-estate teas are sourced from growers and producers from around the world, and they have a growing customer base here in Edinburgh and beyond.
The Scottish Design Exchange on George Street in the city’s New Town is a non-profit space where over 300 local artists, designers and creators are represented in the store. Since its establishment in 2015, SDX has paid out over £3.5 million in sales to artists from across Scotland.
Fabhatrix, run by Fawns Reid and situated in the city’s historic Grassmarket, specialises in bespoke, handmade headwear crafted on site in their workshop. Their specialist knowledge of sizing, materials and styles has been developed over many years.
Edinburgh’s Farmers Market on Castle Terrace are hosting special Christmas Markets every Saturday in December from 9am-2pm up until Christmas Day (final market will take place on Friday December 23).
Roseburn businesses in conjunction with Murrayfield Community Council in the city’s west end are also organising a special Christmas shopping experience on December 8 from 5pm-8pm.
These are just a small reflection of the many thousands of amazing small businesses that make up our city.
Depute Lord Provost, Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron said:
Edinburgh is home to a multitude of amazing small businesses. These firms are the lifeblood of our city’s economy, support countless jobs within our communities, offer great customer service, and create vibrancy in our local shopping streets and neighbourhoods.
As turbulent economic times continue, supporting our small businesses as they strive to recover from the pandemic, and grapple with rising inflation, and the costs of doing business matters more than ever, and will help sustain and secure the future of many in our city’s small business sector.
The cost-of-living crisis means we are more likely to be spending less on how we celebrate Christmas, and considering what we spend, on what and from where, more closely and carefully.
With this in mind, and on this Small Business Saturday and throughout the coming year, please let’s choose to shop local wherever we can, and proactively encourage our friends and families to do so too.
Transport & Environment Convener, Councillor Scott Arthur said:
Small Business Saturday is a chance to celebrate the innovation and enterprise of firms that make up our amazing and diverse city. These businesses represent the livelihoods of our friends, families, and neighbours and it is right that we give them all the support that we can.
We want to make it simple for residents to access their local businesses through our public transport and active travel networks. This is also a key element of our 20-Minute Neighbourhoods objectives, to allow everyone to live, shop, work, and travel more easily. These neighbourhoods will boost local employment opportunities, while promoting local businesses and working towards our climate targets.