Jeff Smith, MP for Manchester Withington, visited businesses across south Manchester over the weekend in support of Small Business Saturday.

Saturday 5 December marked the UK’s third Small Business Saturday, where people are encouraged to ‘shop small’ and celebrate the contribution of local entrepreneurs and small firms. The day aims to give a boost to trade and a long term lift to our high streets. The idea started in the USA, and took off here following a campaign by Labour MP Chukka Ummuna.

In 2014, 16.5 million Britons visited a local independent store – 2.7m more than on Small Business Saturday in 2013. Across the UK different activities took place to promote Britain’s small businesses – and Jeff visited a number of local businesses across Withington, Didsbury and Chorlton, including clothes shop Punk and Disorderly (pictured).

Jeff Smith MP said: “Small Business Saturday provides a great boost to small businesses on a key shopping day in the run-up to Christmas. We should do all we can to support local businesses and thank them for the vital contribution they make. They help to grow the local economy, give job and shopping opportunities to the local community and boost diversity on the High Street. Small Business Saturday gets bigger every year and I’m pleased to support the campaign.”