‘Best Small Business Saturday event in the area!’

THAT was the verdict of Paul Mes, of The Federation of Small Business Thames Valley, after his visit to Small Business Saturday in Thame last weekend, December 5.

After the event, Paul said: “This event showed just what excellent results can be achieved by an enthusiastic group of volunteers, even in a short space of time. Easily the best event in my area for Small Business Saturday. I am sure that it will be even better in 2016 if even more people in Thame get behind it!”

The importance to Thame’s economy of its many small businesses is one of the town’s under appreciated assets but after Small Business Saturday last weekend, more of them were able to learn about what each other has to offer, to learn from the experts and raise their profiles in the high street.

Shoppers and passers-by were handed out free shopping bags and information about the event from a stall outside the town hall, while they enjoyed live performances from some of Thame’s talented – and brave, considering the weather – musicians.

Workshops and presentations

Dozens of small businesses attended a series of presentations and workshops in The Stables venue, behind the James Figg pub, with MC, George Anderson, who revealed how his first small business experience was running his school tuck shop aged 11.

George Anderson, MC for day at Small Business Saturday in Thame

A string of inspiring speakers included Jean Gamester of Semaphora Consulting, who spoke about converting goals into reality, Sarah Fletcher of Mushroom Soufflé with her Social Media Strategy workshop, Blooberry Design’s Tracy Staskevich and Yvonne Dean who spoke about good branding, and Thames Valley Business Advisers representative, Tim Luscombe, suggested some basic strategies for small businesses to boost their revenues.

Mayor of Thame, Nichola Dixon, cuts the ‘Rising Star’ cake

Cake and champagne

At lunch time there was an opportunity for small businesses to network and join in the celebrations for Thame’s ‘Rising Star High Street’ Award, with the Mayor of Thame, Nichola Dixon, and Thame’s MP, John Howell. A magnificent cake, made by Jenny Walker of A Piece of Cake in Thame, was ceremoniously cut by the Mayor and distributed among those present, and taken round to Thame’s hardworking, independent retailers in the town centre to share in the celebration, by Cllr David Laver.

Cllr David Laver shares the ‘Rising Star High Street’ cake with staff at Robert Stanley Opticians who decorated their shop window to celebrate Small Business Saturday

Networking and sharing

The networking and learning continued into the afternoon with a surgery with Graham Hunt, Thame’s Town Clerk, who answered questions about business rates and related matters that affect businesses in Thame and locally. Phil Westerman, of Darwin Swan Associates, was able to talk about the issues involving in buying or selling a business and the pitfalls to be avoided.

Paul Mes, representing the Federation of Small Business, was on hand to explain the benefits of joining the FSB, including tax, legal and financial advice.

Thame’s Deputy Mayor, Linda Emery (left), pops into the pop-up gallery to meet Poseytude’s James Taylor and Margarita

The pop-up art exhibition, curated by James Taylor of Poseytude , featuring some young and emerging artists, was held in the currently empty, ex Whittal’s wine shop and proved to be very popular. Glassware designed and made by the ex Mayor of Thame, Jeannette Matelot Green was also on display.

Independent shops joined in too

Many of the independent shops in the town put on special events to support Small Business Saturday, including the Book House with a Christmas book display, Newitts Butchers with a sausage tasting, Steamer Trading gave coffee demonstrations throughout the day, book binding demonstrations were hosted by Kew Book Binding, Rumsey’s held chocolate-making demonstrations and What’s Cooking offered mulled wine along with their Christmas food display which had to be staged indoors due to the wet and windy weather that prevailed throughout most of the day.

Fitch & Fellows in Thame held Christmas dog collar making demonstrations. Christmas tree making and sweet art workshops were held in Swan Walk at Sweet Art Creations and Racquets Fitness Centre and Thame Library also put on special events to support Small Business Saturday.

‘Fantastic day’

Sally Dickinson, a Director of What’s Cooking in Cornmarket, Thame, summed up the day: “What a fantastic day Small Business Saturday was, not only for the shop but also for all the golden nuggets of information we picked up at the workshops. It was the best Small Business Saturday yet and this comes with a huge thank you to everyone who organised the day.”

In the evening, after all that networking and sharing ideas, it was off to The Cross Keys pub for a welcome pint of a special Small Business Saturday brew, specially selected by landlord, Peter Lambert.

Helen Johns, who co-ordinated the Small Business Saturday team in Thame, said: “Small Business Saturday is a national campaign to support, promote and inspire small businesses of any size up to £10m turnover.  A small team of us set out to put on a small business event in Thame that would appeal to non-retail as well as retail businesses, including as many as possible in the activities and marketing it using leaflets, balloons and live music from Black Frog Studios on the day. We have had excellent feedback from those who presented as well as those who attended, and this has encouraged us to build on a promising start and create a bigger and better Small Business Saturday in 2016.”

The date of next year’s Small Business Saturday has not yet been announced but it is expected to be held at a different time of the year in 2016.