Case Studies

Food and Drink Fair hit with businessFood producers lined up alongside a Father Christmas on stilts, jazz and guitar music and Grantham’s own Christmas ‘Cake Off’ baking competition to celebrate Small Business Saturday.A special council-organised Food and Drink Fair in the George Centre involved food producers from a local chocolatier to artisan bread makers, and even a child-friendly sausage from The Savvy Sausage Company  produced in a kitchen in Belton.Grantham MP Nick Boles joined a panel of cake judges and praised SKDC’s efforts to celebrate Small Business Saturday, saying: “We are incredibly lucky at the range and quality of the small businesses we have in Grantham and right across this part of Lincolnshire.“I think it’s great that the council is doing so much to support them and it’s great there are so many businesses opening up now taking on empty shops and bringing people into the town centre. We want them to be busy and full of people full of Christmas cheer.“It’s been a really great day. I just think everyone feels better about life when they can see their town thriving.”Exhibitor Kathy Britton from Oldershaw brewery typified the event’s value for local businesses, saying:“Events like this are very important in raising awareness and without local customer support we wouldn’t be where we are. We’re very grateful to be here and we’ll do all we can to support events like this in the future.“This year we’ve increased capacity, moving the brewery to new premises at Barkston Heath.   In the last couple of months we’ve also taken on an apprentice and we try to support and promote local employment.”George Centre footfall was up 7.3% on the same day last year, with just over 6,000 shoppers through the doors. Manager Hilary Pearce said: “It was nice to see local food producers given the chance to sell direct to the public, particularly when people are looking for unusual gifts for Christmas and I am delighted that it went so well.  From our point of view it was an excellent day.”For organiser South Kesteven District Council Cllr Frances Cartwright, portfolio holder for grow the economy said:“As a council we are committed to helping small business grow. Staging a day like the Food and Drink Fair is essential to give producers a shop window and get them in front of the public. It follows our Shop Local theme where we constantly encourage people to support local retailers.”Photos can be seen HERESee the highlights of the Food and Drink Fair HERE and view pictures from the day through South Kesteven District Council’s Facebook page HEREBy South Kesteven District Council