By Michelle Ovens CBE

For small businesses, this weekend marks one of their busiest of the year.

Small Business Saturday – taking place today, December 6 - casts a vital spotlight on the nation’s 5.6 million small firms by encouraging people to support and spend with their favourite independents.

This time of year is crucial for small businesses. The peak festive season is when many make the margins that sustain them through the year. However, smaller firms can often struggle to keep up with the ridiculous pressure for deep discounting that Black Friday can bring, and many are still recovering from all the challenges thrown their way over recent years, particularly rising costs.

The good news is that our data found that UK Christmas spending with........

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