“I’m calling on small shopkeepers in Lichfield, Burntwood and the villages in the Lichfield constituency and elsewhere to enter the Best Small Shops Competition, celebrating the creativity of small shops and the central role they play in their local community” says Michael Fabricant.

“The Best Small Shops Competition is open to any small shop operating in the UK. The competition is free to enter and all shops who enter will also be promoted to consumers through an online Indie Retail Directory.  For the purposes of the competition, a small shop is defined as a non-corporate business selling goods or services to the public for use or consumption rather than for resale, from a business rated premises in the UK” Michael explains.

“Shopkeepers can nominate their businesses until Sunday 9^th September via www.bestsmallshops.co.uk. A shortlist of 25 of the most impressive applications will be shortlisted by a panel made up of established representatives from the independent retail industry. The judges will be looking for evidence of a small shops’ entrepreneurial spirit, ways that they have been innovative in their business and what they have done to have a lasting positive impact on their community.”

The shortlisted small shops will be invited to a Parliamentary Reception on the 13th November 2018 to meet their Member of Parliament and find out who will be crowned the Best Small Shop for 2018.

Michael adds:  “Small shops are the backbone of the country and give individuality and character to tourist cities like Lichfield.  I hope that despite the tight deadline, local businessmen will enter this competition.”