Small Business Saturday Bus Tour to visit Brighton

Brighton & Hove has been selected as one of the 27 stop-off locations for a national bus tour to promote Small Business Saturday.  The tour bus that will travel the length of the country, from John O’Groats to Land’s End, will park up on Ship Street, Brighton, on Monday 23 November 2015 between 10am – 2pm and offer a raft of information aimed at helping local businesses boost trade, not only on Small Business Saturday itself, 5 December, but year-round.

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The Brighton stop-off is being coordinated by Brighton & Hove City Council with support from a range of stakeholders who will be on hand throughout the day with information about what’s on offer locally and nationally to small business traders, community interest, social enterprise and start-up companies.  

Those taking part include:

The day’s programme will include a series of free drop-in workshops and advice covering a range of topics including:

  • Where to find help with business plans, funding and grants,
  • How to identify your best customer
  • Developing the mind-set and resilience to be a creative self-starter
  • Local business courses
  • Business development

There will also be the opportunity to find out about the benefits of the VisitBrighton partnership scheme and for consumers and businesses to join Goodmoney, the Brighton-based voucher scheme designed to encourage residents to buy local.  Goodmoney gift vouchers come in £5, £10 and £25 denominations and can be spent at a growing network of over 150 independent local businesses, including shops, restaurants and cafes, art classes, music tuition and outdoor sports.

Commenting on the tour, Council leader Warren Morgan said:  “There is a wealth of information and help out there for entrepreneurs and small business operators but sometimes it’s just a case of having the time to find it, especially when you’re starting out and time is limited.  

“Brighton & Hove’s impressive range of independent businesses are a big draw for visitors and a vital part of the local economy so I’m really pleased the city has been chosen for this stop-off.  I hope that as many local traders as possible will visit the bus and take advantage of the extra help it offers ahead of Small Business Saturday.”

Notes for editors

Visit Brighton Partnership Scheme

The VisitBrighton Partnership scheme has been in operation since 2005 and offers a range of benefits to businesses that pay a yearly subscription fee dependent on the size and type of business. Benefits include PR and marketing support, a dedicated page on the VisitBrighton website - which last year drew in over 2 million unique users - a listing on the VisitBrighton mobile app and official printed city map, as well as invitations to networking events and launches throughout the year.

The VisitBrighton marketing team last year generated £7 million worth of media coverage for partner businesses and the city.

More info: www.visitbrighton.com/partners/join-visitbrighton/benefits