FIONA Bruce MP has urged communities in Middlewich and Holmes Chapel to support independent businesses after speaking to many of them at the weekend in support of Small Business Saturday.

Fiona set off on a day of supporting local businesses on Saturday, meeting first Middlewich Post Master Adnan Ashraf. 

The Congleton MP thanked him for his hardwork, relocating and smartening up the Post Office, to his newsagent at the heart of Wheelock Street.

Buying her constituency office diary for 2021 from Adnan, Fiona said: “My regular newspaper order is through Middlewich News and Post Office and Adnan always provides a reliable, efficient service – with a beaming smile.”

Fiona then popped next door to Devaney’s Butchers to collect her meat order.

Aidan said: “It has been a quiet period, but local traders like myself have tried to stay open and the community have supported us. It has been good to be able to serve local people in Middlewich, including through our delivery service for those who are vulnerable or shielding.

“Small Business Saturday is a great initiative that recognises the importance of the high street. This is a unique time for small, independent retailers and I am confident of a resurgence in the high street – people are investing in Middlewich, even in these dark times.”

After trips to businesses in Sandbach and Alsager, Fiona’s final visit of the day was to Holmes Chapel where among others she spoke with Barbara Kendall at Holmes Chapel Flowers.

Fiona said: “It was good to see Barbara’s shop full of individually handmade Christmas floral decorations for people to buy – evident of her 13 years of working as an independent florist in Holmes Chapel – and for many more years elsewhere before that. It was also good to hear she is continuing to get a good number of online orders."

The Conservative MP is urging residents to think about supporting independent traders now more than ever as they come through what has been for many, their toughest year of trading. 

Fiona said: “It was great to see so many of the hardworking, independent traders across my constituency on Small Business Saturday – they are always ready to serve with a smile and a chat – and it is amazing how many of them have two – or even three – generations working in them. Long may that last. So I hope everyone will support them, not only on Small Business Saturday each year, but all year round.

“Small Business Saturday, which has now been running for eight years, is an ideal opportunity for everyone to support local independent businesses who have faced an incredibly difficult year. This year more than ever small businesses need and deserve our support.”