THE Knutsford-based Forum of Private Business is calling on councils to waive parking charges for this year’s Small Business Saturday UK event.

Small Business Saturday UK is a campaign which encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities.

In support of the campaign, the forum has written to all local authorities to ask them to consider removing parking charges during the nation-wide event on December 6.

The aim is to provide an added incentive to shoppers to hit the high street on the first shopping weekend in the run up to Christmas.

The forum is hoping to build on the success of last year’s inaugural event, when 40 councils answered the call to remove the charges.

Phil Orford MBE, chief executive of the Forum of Private Business, said: “As the cost of doing business continues to rise, it is more important than ever to support our small businesses.

“Last year, local authorities responded enthusiastically to our call. Forty councils agreed to offer free parking and many created bespoke parking offers to help drive footfall on the day.

“This was testament to the excellent work local authorities can do to support small businesses. We hope to build on the success of last year’s campaign and that even more will look to throw their weight behind the initiative.”

The forum is also producing a range of practical guides to help small businesses develop their expertise in key areas, including e-commerce and social media, to capitalise on the opportunities available through Small Business Saturday UK. These will be released in the run up to the event in December.

For more information on Forum of Private Business, visit fpb.org. To find out more about Small Business Saturday UK, visit smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com.