Newcastle North MP joined small businesses across Newcastle North to celebrate Small Business Saturday and encouraged constituents to shop local and support small and independent businesses.

Small Business Saturday, which this year fell on 4th December 2021, highlights small business success, and encourages consumers to shop local and support small businesses in their communities.

Catherine started the day with a visit to Claud’s Coffee Shop and Dessert Parlour based in Newburn, which was also celebrating the first year of the shop.

Next up was a visit to Hello! Hooray! in Lemington where Catherine met with the owner Clare to discuss her new independent haberdashery and workspace.

Following this, Catherine joined Coffee on the Corner owner Lu in her new Chapel House café for lunch and coffee to discuss the new café.

Catherine then joined businesses at Gosforth Shopping Centre visiting Yum Lush, Donald Gilberts Butchers, and the new fruit & veg stall and spoke about the run up to Christmas and people supporting local businesses, before visiting Gosforth institution Thorpes of Gosforth.

Rounding off Small Business Saturday, Catherine visited Broomhall Christmas Trees in Black Callerton to pick up a Christmas tree.

Following the visits, Catherine commented:

“We have some amazing small businesses and independent shops across Newcastle North, and it was great to showcase them on Small Business Saturday. They do so much to enrich our local communities and economics, and it was great to spend the day supporting them and encouraging others to do the same.

“It was fantastic to speak with a whole range of different small business owners about their local businesses, how they have handled the pandemic, and also the issues that they are facing.

“I know many local businesses struggle with unfair business rates, and Labour is committed to scrapping the current system and replacing it with a fairer alternative to ensure that small businesses and independent shops can compete.”