SMEs welcomed by Theresa May at No 10 reception

As part of the build-up to the UK’s fourth annual Small Business Saturday tomorrow, 100 small businesses from around the country attended a reception at Downing Street on Thursday,

Prime minister Theresa May was pleased to be part of the event. “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,” she said. “I’m delighted that we had such a great representation of firms here in Downing Street to mark this event and recognise the prosperity they bring to the UK.”

Business secretary Greg Clark added: “The UK’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy, creating millions of jobs in communities across the country and helping to build an economy that works for all. I am proud to be joining Small Business Saturday in championing them, and would encourage as many people as possible to get out to their local high street this weekend to do the same.”

Small businesses around the UK have planned events, promotions and other activities to attract clients and customers to them not only on December 3 but also beyond. The campaign team has also completed a five-week nationwide bus tour to all regions in the UK to promote Small Business Saturday locally, visiting 29 towns and cities in 27 days.

Hayley Williams, managing director at Keystone Marketing, was one of the visitors to Downing Street “We are delighted to have been nationally recognised as a top 100 small business this year,” she said. “The small business community is vitally important and hugely powerful and it’s a pleasure to be part of it. Our business has grown significantly since inception just over three years ago and this recognition really does demonstrate the impact we have made so far.”

SME Publications/ SME XPO 2024