For our second article celebrating Small Business Saturday on 06 December (you can read the first article here), we spoke to two more growing North East companies about why it’s important to support small businesses, and how people can help small businesses get noticed. A big thank you to Pip from The Flower Folk and Rach from Bear Burners for taking part. Remember to follow us on LinkedIn to see and hear more from Pip and Rach.
Small Business Saturday - 06 December 2025
For those who haven’t read the first article, the first Saturday in December is a day where small businesses in the North East, and all over the UK, have their moment in the spotlight. Small Business Saturday (06 December) is an annual campaign that celebrates the country’s small businesses. It's a day where people across the country are encouraged to show their support for small businesses by spending and shopping small, and helping spread the word.
Celebrating the North East’s small businesses
Pip is the owner of The Flower Folk, a flower, plant and gift shop based on Brentwood Ave in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne. As well as its physical store, The Flower Folk also provides seasonal flowers and plants for a wide range of events and ceremonies (including weddings and funerals). The team also runs floristry courses from the shop’s dedicated workshop, and the company also has a flower subscription service.
“It’s nice to be part of a small, bustling high street of independently owned shops. We really feel part of the community here. Whilst we may be small, as a collective we contribute a lot to the local economy. We do a lot to support each other too. The busier our street is, the better it is for all of us.
“It’s important to us that we support other businesses and the wider region. We’ve been able to create employment opportunities for local people and we also offer work placements for students studying floristry at the region’s colleges. During the growing season in the North East we always try to source locally grown flowers from the region’s flower farms. It’s great, it's sustainable and we’re supporting other businesses.
“There’s a lot of things people can do to help small businesses where they live. Obviously buying from us is fantastic, but even just recommending us, or following us on social media, really helps spread the word that we’re here. It’s a challenging environment for small businesses at the moment, it would be really sad if we weren't here.”
Handcrafted candle and wax melt company, Bear Burners, is based on Station Approach (right next to East Bolden Metro) in South Shields. Launched by North East entrepreneur Rachel (Rach) Spence from her kitchen table in 2018, Bear Burners has grown more than 500% and is a hugely successful business with customers all over the UK. Initially operating as an online business, Bear Burners opened its first physical shop in 2020 and quickly expanded into its current East Bolden store in 2024. With a huge following on social media, particularly TIkTok, Bear Burners has created a very loyal and supportive customer base by living its values and inviting customers to be part of its growth journey.
“Small businesses are the heart and soul of communities. When you purchase from a small business, it really means the world. We still do happy dances every time we get an order because customers aren't just supporting me as a business owner, they’re also supporting our amazing team - it really does mean the world.
“Bear Burners started as a side hustle on a kitchen table, but we’ve grown to employ six people. As a business we’re contributing to the local and national economy, and we also put a lot into the local community too. If a small business goes, it’s detrimental to the economy as a whole.
“I’d never planned to have a physical shop, but I absolutely love it because it’s another way we get to interact with our customers. Bear Burners started on Instagram and that’s how you get in touch with your community - people get to know you. Engaging with social media has been pivotal for us.
“If anyone out there wants to support Bear Burners, my number one motto is you don’t have to make a purchase to support our business. Even just coming into our shop to look around, or interacting with us on social media, makes a huge difference. We have grown by word of mouth, so that’s all really important. Shout about your favourite businesses so other people can discover them too.”
How you can support Small Business Saturday
Whilst Small Business Saturday is celebrated on the first Saturday of December each year, it’s also a year-round national movement spotlighting small businesses that make a big difference to our communities and economy.
You can support Small Business Saturday by:
- Shopping local when you can.
- Spreading the word about your favourite small businesses and helping people discover them.
- Taking part in initiatives like Small Business Saturday that help small businesses thrive.
If you’d like to help people discover your favourite small businesses in the North East, use the hashtag #SmallBizSatUK on social media or tag the North East Growth Hub on X and LinkedIn.