Local MSP Maree Todd, SNP  is encouraging consumers in Orkney to shop locally and support the 1490 small businesses throughout the islands.

Speaking after holding her Orkney constituents’ surgery on Thursday Maree Todd, said:

“Shopping locally is good for communities, good for the environment and great for the local economy, supporting 6780 workers in small businesses in Orkney.

“Today’s market provides many new challenges for retailers, including the move to online shopping as well as Brexit-fuelled inflation and more expensive imports that translate into higher prices at the checkout. Brexit is the biggest threat facing the Scottish economy and the SNP will continue challenging the Tory government’s extreme Brexit plans and standing up for Scottish businesses and jobs.

“Given these challenges, wherever possible, we should all seek to support Orkney’s huge variety of brilliant independent, locally run businesses. There are so many great shops along the streets of Kirkwall, Stromness, and in every parish and island, not forgetting the many traders on Hatston and Garson industrial estates. Each small business offers something unique and special, and it is important that we support them and help our local economy to thrive in a market that is increasingly dominated by the big players.”

To support business the Scottish Government introduced a new scheme on 1st April where there will be no business rates for unoccupied new properties and tenants who take them on will be rates-free for the first year. Where properties are improved, they will not pay any additional rates as a result of the improvement for 12 months.

The Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) provides non-domestic business rates relief (business rates discounts) to small businesses in Scotland. There are 103,701 recipients of the SBBS relief in 2017-18 amounting to  £226million.

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Challenges & Opportunities for Orkney Businesses

Celebrating Island Business in Orkney