Bristol has some fantastic independent businesses. On Small Business Saturday (5 December), I’m launching a campaign to support Bristol’s independent shops, restaurants and other small businesses this Christmas.

This year Bristol’s independent businesses have been hard hit by the COVID crisis. Those that have managed to keep trading have been burdened with additional expenses setting up online ordering systems, home delivery or new arrangements to keep employees and customers safe. With many local businesses already struggling, some are likely to go bust in the New Year if they cannot make sufficient profits during the usually-busy month of December.

To help promote local shopping, I’m asking Bristolians to send her suggestions of great local businesses supplying food, drink or gifts that I can share on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The #IndependentBristol campaign starts now and will run until Christmas Day.

We all know that we can get some of the best gifts, food and drink on our local high streets – but finding these small businesses online can be difficult and as we continue with social distancing many people will want to support local businesses by shopping online. Over the run-up to Christmas, I will be using my social media channels to try to promote ways we can celebrate and support Bristol’s high streets in person and online through this difficult period.

There are a lot of great places to choose from. My constituency of Bristol West includes several areas with a large number of unique independent traders, including Gloucester Road, Clifton Village, St Mark’s Road in Easton, Stapleton Road, Church Road in Redfield, Whiteladies Road, Wapping Wharf and the harbourside, Christmas Steps Arts Quarter, Park Street, the Old City and across the City Centre.

If you would like to nominate a business (even your own business!) in the constituency of Bristol West (check here), please in touch via email, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.