Let's buy local and '˜shop small' every day throughout the year

Whether it goes to wages for local people or to contracts with local suppliers, it is reinvested in the local community by shop-owners.

In contrast, some research suggests that 95% of money spent in larger chain shops is siphoned away from our local economy.

This weekend's annual Small Business Saturday UK is a timely reminder of the value small independent businesses bring to our city.

There's a huge range of events and promotions on - including a "Stamp'n Win" competition organised by the Hove Business Association. Customers can collect stamps from retailers in Hove and once they've filled their card, they can enter into a draw for a cash prize.

The council is contributing helpers to hand out city maps at train stations, directing visitors to clusters of independent retailers in London Road, Boundary Road (Portslade), George Street, the new West Pier Arches, The Lanes, and the North Laine.

This complements work we do year-round to support smaller shops.

This summer, we opened 10 new independent retail units in refurbished seafront arches near the West Pier, and saw the launch of the rebuilt Open Market on London Road.

Meanwhile, the "Ride the Wave" programme helps smaller businesses weather the recession, and the "Dressed for Success" scheme offers shops free training on making the most of their Christmas window displays.

There are discounts on business rates for smaller businesses moving into long-term empty premises - and vouchers of up to £3,000 are available for the cost of installing higher-speed broadband connections.

Brighton and Hove's independent shops and businesses are key to attracting the nine million visitors we receive every year.

So it's essential that we celebrate the value of buying local - not just on December 6, but every day of the year.