Andrew Gwynne MP's weekly column

This week I’d like to shine the spotlight on those small businesses that are so crucial to our local communities.

Over the nearly 20 years that I have served as a Member of Parliament, my greatest pleasure has always been visiting, speaking with, and helping the small businesses across our constituency. They are the engine rooms of our communities, providing jobs, keeping our town centres alive, boosting the local economy, and contributing 50% to the entire turnover of the private sector in the UK.

Small businesses are crucial to our national economy, but beyond that, they provide important spaces to our community, where people can come together – whether that be over dinner in a restaurant, an evening spent with friends in a pub, or meeting new friends in a cafe.  These ‘third spaces’ that small businesses provide are at the heart of our communities, and they deserve to be recognised for the vital contribution they make. 

That’s why each year, I launch my ‘Local Business Awards’, a competition designed to recognise the important work that our small businesses do here in Gorton and Denton. I ask constituents to nominate a favourite small business, this can be anything, as long as it’s local and small. Once nominations close on Small Business Saturday (7th December), I will announce the winners for each ward, and an overall favourite business of the constituency. 

It's a great competition to get people thinking about local businesses, highlight the important work they do, and to make sure they get the recognition they deserve for the impact they have. Last year, we had over 200 individual businesses nominated, with nearly 9000 votes and submissions from across the constituency, and I’m more than confident that this year will be even bigger. 

I’m proud to support our local small businesses, and I ask that if you live in my constituency, or have a favourite business anywhere in Denton, Burnage, Longsight, Levenshulme or Gorton, that you nominate them through the form found here: https://tinyurl.com/AGBusinessAwards