A GRASS roots campaign encouraging people to support small businesses in the region was launched in Southampton at the weekend.
Small Business Saturday took over Southampton Central Library featuring talks from a host of leading business figures.
The phenomenon of 3D printing formed a major part of the event with James Hardiman hosting a talk on how it will revolutionise technology.
Alison John, from Space Qube, greeted the delegation with a presentation on how pop-up shops can revive the high street.
Professor Ed Berman hosted a talk on the need for accessible business training, while Chris Buckingham spoke about crowd funding. The event was opened by the Mayor of Southampton, Councillor Ivan White. It was organised by the Solent Business Growth Network and featured organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, WSX Enterprise, Enterprise First, and the Solent LEP.
Small Business Saturday is traditionally held in America on the Saturday after Thanksgiving – one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Last year the event achieved £5.5 billion in sales to small businesses, and led to an increase in long-term custom.
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