Vicky Foxcroft MP for Lewisham Deptford & Shadow Minister for Disabled People
Once again, this year I decided to spend Saturday visiting a range of local businesses as part of Small Business Saturday. It was a great chance to chat to local business owners, get my hair and nails done, buy some Christmas gifts and visit a new local bar.
Now in its fifth year, Small Business Saturday aims to highlight and celebrate small businesses and recognise the important contributions they make to the local economy, in bringing jobs, growth and innovation. Buying goods from local businesses is a fantastic alternative to buying from the usual large supermarkets and a great way to support these business owners.
I began the day by getting my nails done at Deeplex Hair Salon in Deptford, then grabbing a coffee from London Velo for a caffeine kick before browsing the busy Deptford High Street. Afterwards, I headed down to Brockley for a haircut from the lovely team at Aqua Hair Salon. I then went on to purchase some unique gifts from the Ladywell Christmas Market, Honeybourne’s, and the ‘Crafternoon’ at PLACE -; of course stopping for another coffee at the Good Hope Café! I finished the day with a drink from Suttons Radio, a fantastic new bar in Lewisham. Overall, the day was a great success and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet with many local business owners.
Amidst the uncertainty of Brexit, it’s great to see so many local businesses working hard and caring about the area’s prosperity – and doing so with Christmas spirit! I’m proud that the number of businesses in Lewisham Deptford continues to grow at a faster rate than the UK average, providing an increasing number of jobs and a range of amenities and services for local people. Currently there are around 3,900 businesses in the constituency with fewer than 10 employees, that’s 95% of all businesses. A further 4% of businesses have 10-49 businesses, higher than the UK average.
If you live in the local area, why not pop into a small business and see what they have to offer? As always, I hope to continue to support many more local businesses.