Support your local businesses on Small Business Saturday

New Forest District Council is encouraging residents to support their local businesses ahead of Small Business Saturday on 3 December 2022.

There are approximately 9000 businesses in the New Forest, and a high proportion is small independent businesses.

By shopping locally, residents are not only supporting the local economy, but they are also reducing their carbon footprint.

Local shops often source their goods locally, helping to reduce their carbon footprint. When shopping locally, people are also more likely to walk or cycle to get there or make shorter car journeys – saving money and doing their bit to reduce air pollution, reduce traffic and improve the quality of our high streets.

Shoppers might be surprised to see just how competitive the prices are in their local shops. Independent retailers often reward regular customers, while others often provide great deals that can’t be found in major outlets – meaning people save money as they spend.

Councillor Michael Harris OBE, New Forest District Council Portfolio Holder for Business, High Streets and Tourism, showed his support by visiting retailers in Brockenhurst in the run-up to Small Business Saturday and said: “We can all see that our local independent retailers continue to face challenging times. In addition, we recognise that the high street is a crucial element of both our local community and our local economy.

We want to encourage our residents to rediscover their high streets and the advantages of shopping locally. We want to build on this as we see our high streets as the heart of our towns and villages and an important part of our local economy.

“Earlier this year, we ran The New Forest Shop Doctor Programme, and the results clearly demonstrated that we have fantastic businesses here in the New Forest. We should all be proud of them and continue to support our high streets by shopping locally.”

Richard Wolstenholme, owner of Pot-Pourri in Brockenhurst, said: “Small Business Saturday is always significant, but this year more than ever. Many shops have found it tough, so local support is as important as always.”