Speaking at the launch of Small Business Saturday, Rajesh said: “Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce welcomes the Small Business Saturday campaign which supports independent businesses – the backbone of our local economy which make up the very fabric of our fantastic city.
“Visitors to Belfast are encouraged to get involved and support the initiative, by taking the time to visit the many independent stores which are located throughout the city.
“Businesses across the board have reported an excellent start to our peak shopping period – Black Friday weekend – with footfall and revenues showing strong, encouraging figures.
“Shoppers have been attracted by great bargains provided by traders in the city – big and small – and by the numerous events and attractions the City Council has put on, from the Continental Market, to the snow slide on Royal Avenue, attractions on Castle Place and Ferris wheel at Buoy’s Park.
“There is also the Winter Wonderland complete with ice rink on Great Victoria Street and Santa’s Post Office on Royal Avenue where children can post off their letter to the North Pole.
“Travel has also never been easier, with Translink’s £2 offer for all day travel after 9:30am and Debenhams are providing free car parking in Castlecourt for shoppers spending £50 in-store.
“Key dates coming up are the opening of a pedestrian walkway through the Bank Buildings cordon on 3 December which will allow pedestrian flow to resume from Donegall Place to Royal Avenue.
“And to top things off, Irish department store, Guineys, is set to open on 7 December and Primark will open its extension at Castle Street on 8 December.
“Thanks to hard work of Belfast City Council and the many other key stakeholders, Belfast is a very special place for visitors to come and it is quite simply buzzing again – everyone involved is to be commended for their efforts.”
Rajesh concluded: “The message now is that Belfast is open for business, has never had so many offerings and the deals, events and the festive activities are second to none – Small Business Saturday will be a continuation of that and we look forward to another buzzing day.”
Small Business Saturday which is hosted by Belfast City Council, welcomed the Small Business Saturday bus tour, and was attended by a selection of Belfast independent shop owners who joined forces in support of the UK-wide initiative.
Speaking at the Small Business Saturday launch, Chris Suitor, owner of Suitor Bros said: “Small Business Saturday serves as a reminder that the smaller stores are in the city and well and truly open for business.
“We work hard to ensure that our offering is unique, competitive and that our customer service is second-to-none.
Chris concluded: “We welcome the support that Small Business Saturday and Belfast Chamber offer us in the run up to Christmas and beyond.”
For further information on Belfast’s Small Business Saturday visit www.belfastchamber.com.
Rajesh Rana (President of Belfast Chamber); Andy Hazley (Learning Space); Alessia Bataglia (Sheldon Galleries); Christopher Suitor (Suitor Menswear); Kathleen Dunne (SS Moore) and Laurence Burrell (The Wicker Man).
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