Supporting Small Business Saturday 2013

Cllr Mark McKinty has welcomed support for the UK's first Small Business Saturday and is hopeful of future success.

Speaking on Small Business Saturday (7th December 2013), Cllr McKinty said: "With the continuing difficult economic climate, it is important that we support our small, independent retailers across the country. I fully support the Small Business Saturday initiative as one way of encouraging and sustaining support for local business".

"Small Business Saturday is an idea which has been imported from the US, where over $5.7bn (£3.4bn) was added to the pockets of independent shops and local service providers across America. There, Small Business Saturday – established in 2010 – takes place on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving celebrations, one of the busiest shopping days of the year."

"It encourages people to shop at small independent businesses in their local area and celebrate small businesses’ contribution to their local economies. Last year’s Small Business Saturday helped drive sales and has led to an increase in longer-term custom."

"Today, I prepared a shopping list, including regular household purchases and a number of gifts for Christmas. Not only was I able to purchase everything on my shopping list, but I was also able to avail of a wealth of special offers, top-quality products and excellent customer service, all provided by local businesses within Larne Borough."

"I look forward to initiatives such as Small Business Saturday being rolled out throughout the year, and would encourage everyone to support our local retailers who, for so long, have been the backbone of our local communities."

ENDS

Some photographs from Small Business Saturday:

Top quality meat produce from The Village Butcher, Ballycarry.

Great special offers in the Spar, Islandmagee.

Locally-produced ice cream from the Rinkha, Islandmagee.

Finishing off Small Business Saturday 2013 with a treat!

Letter to Larne Times

Letter to the Larne Times.

Dear Madam,

I write with reference to your coverage last week (04/12/2013) of the Jubilee Crown in Larne and, in particular, to comments made by Mr Oliver McMullan MLA.

Mr McMullan is quoted as advocating a "shared space" in Larne. I wondered would this be the sort of shared space he had in mind when, as Chairman of the East Antrim National Graves Association, he organised the unveiling of a plaque in memory of the Hunger Strikers?

I know not everyone is fully supportive of the Crown, however I am confident there is a wide range of public approval, from "both sides of the community", as he stated, and that the Jubilee Roundabout has been generally good for the town of Larne, not least in terms of encouraging tourists to stop and enjoy our town.

I note from Facebook that not everyone is in favour of the Hunger Striker memorial, however. One resident stated: "The 'Hunger Strikers', as far as I'm aware, have no connection with Shore St, High St or any other spot in Cushendall. How many residents of the village were consulted .... and agreed to the erection of this new plaque on what is a very important local historical site?" So much for a shared space!

Mr McMullan's lacklustre campaign against the Crown does nothing more than perpetuate the sectarianism and division which he claimes to challenge. To my knowledge, no-one has been bothered enough to write to the Council on this matter. The only objections to planners included one terribly shoddy email from Mr McMullan (complete spelling and grammar mistakes) and a series of photocopied letters.

If that is the extent of the opposition to the Crown on the Jubilee Roundabout, I look forward to its remaining in place, and Mr McMullan should perhaps focus on real issues instead of creating problems where none exist.

Yours, etc,

Cllr Mark McKinty