Downing Street invite for local business owner
A businessman from Scarborough was one of 100 from across the UK invited to Downing Street for a reception to mark the fourth annual Small Business Saturday. Richard Askew, owner of Askew Brook, which builds websites and online systems, joined other small business owners for a reception at No 10 Downing Street attended by the Small Business Minister Margot James.
Richard said: “It’s great to represent our company and our brilliant town in such a historic location. It was particularly useful talking to people at various points on their business journey to understand how they’ve got to where they want to be.”
Emma Woods, owner of Duncombe Sawmill in Helmsley, was another of the small business leaders who was invited from this area.
Emma said: “It was fascinating to see inside No 10, and a great opportunity to speak to some fantastic supporters of small business.
“All the team at Duncombe Sawmill are really thrilled to be part of Small Business Saturday this year and one of the 100 chosen businesses.
“It is such a great campaign to promote small businesses throughout the country and something that Helmsley has been actively supporting for the last four years.”
Small Business Saturday, a grassroots, not-for-profit campaign, places small, independent businesses in communities across the country in the national spotlight.
Its aim is to prompt people not only to spend money with small independent businesses in the run-up to Christmas but also to create a mind-set to support them all year round.
Small businesses around the UK have planned events, promotions and other activities to attract clients and customers to them not only on 3 December but also beyond.
Helmsley itself has ‘five hours of festive fun’ planned, along with the launch of its month-long Angel Festival.
Campaign director Michelle Ovens said: “Small Business Saturday has become an exceptional example of collaboration and cooperation with small businesses teaming up in communities around the UK.”
Prime Minister Theresa May added: “Small Business Saturday is an opportunity for us to celebrate the success of the UK’s 5.4 million small businesses – from family run restaurants, to innovative tech start-ups, to local corner shops.
“I’m delighted that we had such a great representation of firms here in Downing Street to mark this event.”