MP Siobhan Baillie toured Stroud district’s independent businesses on Small Business Saturday, a campaign encouraging shoppers to buy local.

Alongside Tony Davey, chair of Stroud Chamber of Trade, Mrs Baillie visited Haberdashery Twist and Confection Affection in Stroud.

She made an appearance at Hobbs, Quetty and Leonard Walker butchers in Nailsworth before stopping off at the Shop on the Green in her home village of Frampton.

“It was great to get to visit so many independent and community shops across Stroud and to see how retailers are bouncing back from the effects of the pandemic,” she said.

“I found that these entrepreneurs were really confident about the run up to Christmas even though it has been really tough these last eight months, but they are naturally concerned about future lockdowns.

“I would just like to urge everyone to buy at our local shops when they can this Christmas.”

A survey by Kings Business School at the height of the first lockdown found that 61% of small and medium-sized business entrepreneurs felt the existence of their business was under threat.

At that rate, as many as 16.6 million UK jobs could be at risk.

Tony Davey said: “In Stroud and in our district, we have an amazing range of quality, independent businesses that make our towns unique and diverse.

“These independent businesses are the backbone of our local economy and communities, and events like Small Business Saturday help not just raise awareness of the need to #ThinkLocalFirst, but are also a celebration of all local can offer; quality, provenance, variety and more.”