Today is Small Business Saturday – an opportunity to highlight some of the many excellent small businesses we have right here on our doorstep.

Small businesses are the backbone of our local communities, and it’s important to shop local and support the local economy at Christmas and all year round.

I want to share with you and highlight some of those I visited… starting with Blackwood Road Shops in Streetly and a drop into Blackwood Butchers Of Streetly with Cllr Keir Pedley before stopping by Breathe Coffee for a coffee
Next stop – Herbarium of Aldridge Ltd with Cllr Keith Sears. A great local florist with a fantastic team. Thanks Mike and Sue.

In Brownhills I was pleased to meet up with Jamie at The Jack ‘Jigger’ Taylor. There’s always a great friendly atmosphere in here – it was good to have a catch up. Thanks to Cllrs Kerry Murphy, John Murray and Ken Ferguson for joining me. Love the Christmas window stencil.

It was then over to Pelsall to The Walsall Music Den – an amazing ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of music shops offering music tuition, instruments, repairs and advice. Great to see Jamie and Abi again.

We rounded the day off at the newly reopened The Boathouse Pub Rushall on the canal-side where it was lovely to meet Jackie. Thank you for letting me have a go at pulling a pint! Look forward to returning soon.