UK’S TOP ‘SMALL BIZ 100’ ARE TODAY UNVEILED BY SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY – AND SWINDON IS REPRESENTED!

Swindon ice cream brand Rays Ice Cream and Total Guide to partner has been selected as one of 100 trail-blazing small businesses in the official count-down to Small Business Saturday which takes place across the UK on December 7th 2019.

Hundreds of SMEs nationwide apply each year to be part of the Small Biz 100 and to be seen as a valuable part of their local business community. In its seventh year, Small Business Saturday is the UK's most successful small business campaign, which last year saw an estimated £812 million spent in small businesses – both service and product-based - across the UK on the day, according to research by founder and principal supporter American Express.

This was up from the £748 million spent on Small Business Saturday in 2017, with 59% of people aware of the day saying they spent more than usual. The #SmallBizSatUK campaign trended in the UK top five on Twitter on the day, reaching over 100 million people globally.

The Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer were among those publicly supporting the campaign, alongside more than 90% of local councils. The team also do a Small Business Saturday bus tour across the UK from today to raise awareness of the initiative (it will be worth checking if the bus is coming to any of the towns or cities where Total Guide is present, it normally does visit Bristol).

Rays Ice Cream will be showcased on Tuesday September 17. The brand was founded in 2011 by Hadi Brooks and has two retail shops – one in Swindon’s Old Town and another in Royal Wootton Bassett. For the first time this year, there has also been a summer pop-up shop in the town’s McArthur Glen Designer Outlet. Hadi and her team also supply ice cream wholesale to hotels, restaurants, pubs and cafes within a 50km radius of the town – and the brand is growing.

Hadi said: “It’s amazing to be picked from the many SMEs which applied to be part of the Small Biz 100. To be recognised as being valuable to the community is an honour. We do plan to do something special to mark Small Biz Saturday so watch this space!”

The Small Biz 100 is a way to showcase the vibrancy of the UK’s 5.6 million small businesses. In the 100 days running up to Small Business Saturday, the campaign will spotlight each of the Small Biz 100.

Michelle Ovens MBE, director of Small Business Saturday, said:

“Each year this campaign has grown in support from government, business and communities alike, and so we can’t wait to begin the annual 100-day countdown to Small Business Saturday with the launch of the Small Biz 100 2019.

“Small Business Saturday’s increasing popularity means it was harder than ever to choose just 100 of this country’s incredible 5.6 million small businesses to showcase, but we believe those we have chosen are true representatives of the diverse, creative and inspiring heroes at the heart of our communities.”

Small Business Saturday also benefits from the backing of organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses, Indeed and Dell. The campaign is also supported by Amazon, printed.com, Square and Xero.