Aycliffe’s MP Phil Wilson took part in a cupcake making workshop at Love Thy Cupcake in town centre as part of this year’s Small Business Saturday at the weekend.
The Labour MP for Sedgefield said: “It was an honour to get behind our areas local small shops and independent businesses on Small Business Saturday.
“We should do all we can to thank them for the vital contribution they make to the local economy, adding to the local community and boosting diversity on the High Street.
“Love Thy Cupcakes is the exact type of business we want to see more of in the centre, alongside the large chains.
Saffron Broad, the owner of Love Thy Cupcakes, set up the business last year after leaving the corporate world to do something more creative.
“I was making cakes for friends and family and decided I wanted a career that made me and other people happy, so I left the corporate world and set up Love Thy Cupcake,” she said.
Saffron now has plans for greater on-line presence, to do workshops, run pudding clubs and involve more people in the community and children in baking and cake making, maybe running a competition like the Great British Bake off.
Across the UK different activities took place to promote Britain’s small businesses last weekend.
Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna MP said: “Building on the success of last year, Small Business Saturday 2014 will help to provide a much-needed boost to our High Streets and make even more consumers aware of the fantastic products and services offered by small and independent businesses.
“Small businesses have had an extremely tough few years, and have been hit by soaring business rates.
“That’s why the next Labour government want to get behind small business. We will therefore cut – then freeze – business rates to back Britain’s wealth creators.”
