South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth was out visiting local businesses right across the South of Scotland on Saturday (2 December) to celebrate Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday was launched in the UK in 2013. It falls on the busiest shopping day each year, the first Saturday of December and is designed to encourage customers to spend their money in independent, local businesses.

A strong advocate of local economic development, Colin Smyth MSP visited a number of local businesses to urge people to shop locally this Christmas- and all year round.

Seen pictured visiting, Buds, a local florist in Lockerbie, the South of Scotland MSP praised local businesses right across the South of Scotland

Colin Smyth said, “Small Business Saturday is an excellent opportunity to showcase the fantastic array of small businesses we have locally. There are around 6,000 businesses in Dumfries and Galloway and 90% employ ten or fewer people, so it’s clear that small businesses are at the very heart of the local economy. It’s no exaggeration to say that when small businesses do well in our region, the economy does well. That’s why it is so important to support small businesses in this difficult economic climate”.

“Pound for pound shopping at small and local businesses is significantly better for our economy than shopping online or at major retailers. It is better for jobs, for our High Streets and ensures that we will continue to have a variety of shops in our towns and villages. I would urge everyone across Dumfries and Galloway to shop locally this Christmas -; and all year round- whenever they can and support our local businesses.”