Small Business Saturday returns this weekend and lands on a busy day for the town. It takes place on Saturday 6 December, the same day as the Stone Farmers’ Market and a day when parking is free across Stafford Borough Council car parks in Stone.
Stone’s mix of small businesses is broad. Clothing, beauty, cafés, food producers, craft shops and bars – and of course, our very own community news website business! Many of these businesses are spread across the town centre and out to the business parks. Many are long standing, others have settled here more recently, often opening during challenging periods and growing through repeat custom and word of mouth.
What Small Business Saturday is about
Small Business Saturday champions the UK’s 5.45 million small firms. It always falls on the first Saturday in December, although organisers describe it as something that runs year round rather than a standalone date.
With backing from American Express, the campaign is now in its thirteenth year. It has encouraged people to spend and shop small, and to share the stories of those who run the businesses that sit at the centre of communities.
The message is that small can be powerful. It is personal. It is resilient. It is often the heartbeat of a neighbourhood.
A busy day in Stone
The timing gives Stone’s independents much needed extra footfall. The Farmers’ Market usually brings a strong crowd to the High Street and the free all day parking on council run car parks makes it easier for people to stay longer and explore.
Shops and cafés often speak about the conversations as much as the sales. It is a day when new customers try places they might have walked past and when regulars stop by for a chat.
Share your favourite Stone independents
As the weekend approaches, we would love to hear which Stone small businesses stand out for you. It could be a shop you always return to, someone who gave great service, or a place you discovered this year.
Leave a comment on our site or on social media. Shout outs make a real difference and help people find new favourites in the town.
