TOMORROW is Small Business Saturday and the area's civic leaders and politicians are urging festive shoppers to support its array of independent traders.

The Mayor of Worcester, Cllr Paul Denham, will be out and about in the city, visiting small shops to find out about the challenges they face and what future support they would like to see from the City Council. He will be accompanied by council leader Adrian Gregson and deputy leader Joy Squires.

Cllr Denham said: "Worcester’s independent stores are the ideal place to start your Christmas shopping. They are run by bold, adventurous and creative people who go out of their way to find beautiful, original and often quirky items you won’t find in any of the big High Street brands. Shopping in Worcester wouldn’t be nearly as pleasurable without them."

While West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin added: "Each year I make a point of shopping in the smaller retailers in Upton-upon-Severn, Malvern, Tenbury and Pershore and I will be doing the same this year. Small Business Saturday is an important way of recognising and thanking the smaller enterprises who are so vital to our economic success throughout the year.”

The first stop for the Mayor's party in Worcester will be Embrace in Reindeer Court, a business which sells luxury lingerie and also wigs, skincare and other products for women affected by cancer. It is run by three old school friends, Julie Bretell, Lisa Farrington-Martin and Paula Farrington and has received a number of accolades since opening and is included in this year’s national Small Business Saturday campaign, which features 100 Top UK Small Businesses.

The mayor, leader and deputy will then move on to 25 Boutique Street in Friar Street, an independent store which specialises in affordable luxury fashion, before stopping at Bottles in New Street, a wine bar and merchants run by Richard Everton, whose family has been in the wine business for almost a century. Mr Everton has recently opened a second wine bar in Birmingham.

The final port of call for the morning will be to Cornmarket Deli in the Cornmarket, which re-opened last month following a full refurbishment.

Other local businesses will be taking stalls at Worcester Market at Angel Place on Saturday from 9am-4pm, and Worcester Upmarket on the High Street from 10am-4pm.