By Scott Reid

Copyright scotsman

Three Scottish locations are being targeted as an annual campaign to encourage people to shop local hits the road. Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh and Lossiemouth have been chosen among the 23 places across the UK to host this year’s Small Business Saturday tour. The Scottish stops are due to take place between November 3 and 5. Backed by BT, the tour aims to recognise the “vital role of small businesses in boosting local economies, creating jobs and supporting communities”. Following the Scottish stops, the nationwide journey will then continue across the rest of the UK throughout November, visiting towns and cities including Belfast, Cambridge, Durham and Hereford. The main Small Business Saturday event will be held on Saturday December 6. Carol Jackson, owner of ELJ Drinks, which produces flavoured Scottish gin and rum, said: “Being part of the Small Business Saturday tour 2024 was such a fabulous experience. We loved welcoming the team, giving our brand more exposure and meeting so many other inspiring small businesses along the way. “The tour is a fabulous celebration of entrepreneurial spirit, culminating in Small Business Saturday and we can’t wait to be part of the magic again in 2025.” Michelle Ovens, director of Small Business Saturday UK, said: “Small Business Saturday is all about championing the incredible entrepreneurs who bring passion, innovation and heart to communities across the UK. “The tour gives us the opportunity to hit the road and engage directly with the nation’s favourite small businesses, celebrating their unique stories and the essential role they play in strengthening local economies. We’re excited to begin this next chapter and highlight the creativity and resilience that make small businesses the foundation of our communities.” Planned stops for this November’s tour include visiting a range of small businesses, from a cycling adventure firm in Scotland and luxury handmade chocolatier in the north of England, to bakeries in Wales, and a shoe repair business in the south of England. Small Business Saturday is backed by its principal supporter American Express. Now in its 13th year, the initiative has engaged millions of shoppers and helped generate billions of pounds in spending at small businesses across the UK. Coinciding with the roadshow, the campaign will also feature a full month of free online support for small businesses. This includes daily workshops, mentoring sessions and “insight events” featuring small business owners and industry experts. With the roadshow expected to cover some 3,000 miles, the tour will continue to use electric vehicles to reduce emissions and showcase the sustainable choices many small business owners are making on the journey toward net zero. Chris Sims, chief commercial officer, UK business, at BT, said: “Small businesses are vital to the UK economy, and providing entrepreneurs with the right support is crucial to their success. “The tour offers a great platform to engage with small businesses across the country, delivering tailored advice and resources to help them grow and adapt. This is an important initiative that allows businesses to connect for good, strengthening local communities and fostering innovation and resilience across the economy,” he added. Details of the roadshow emerged as a study outlined how Britain’s high streets are staging a comeback amid data showing that young people (aged between 18 and 34) visit their local shops almost once a day. Joe Phelan, a small business expert at Money.co.uk, said high streets have long been seen as under threat, squeezed by the rise of online shopping and the dominance of the big chains and out-of-town retail. However, new research suggests a different story is unfolding, thanks to a revival driven not by nostalgia, but by shoppers who want their local communities to thrive. Key findings show that nearly half of Brits visit their local high street at least once a week, and more than a third say their high street feels busier than a year ago. While just one in four over-55s feel proud of their high street, that number jumps to 68 per cent among 25 to 34-year-olds. Phelan said: “Britain’s high streets are bouncing back, driven not by nostalgia, but by a new generation of shoppers who value community, connection, and unique local businesses. For entrepreneurs, this revival brings opportunity, but only for those who are properly prepared.” Transformation He highlighted the turnaround that has taken place in Folkestone, a harbour town on England’s south-east coast, which has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years thanks to the efforts of arts charity Creative Folkestone, among others. The once-quiet Old High Street has been revitalised as a creative quarter, featuring independent galleries, artisan boutiques and cafés that are said to “celebrate local character rather than chain-store uniformity”. The town’s historic pier, once part of the railway line to the old ferry terminal, has also been reinvented as a key destination. Visitor numbers have leapt from 80,000 in its first season, in 2015, to more than 2.35 million a year. Phelan added: “Britain’s high streets may not return to the way they once were, but they are evolving, becoming places where values, community, and experience matter as much as transactions. “With a solid foundation in place, small businesses have a genuine opportunity to thrive in this renewed environment, helping high streets flourish not just as shopping destinations, but as vibrant community hubs.” Meet Scotland’s most inspiring entrepreneurs as Small Business Saturday 2025 campaign kicks off