TO mark Small Business Saturday this weekend, Hexham’s MP recognised the role independent traders play in his constituency.

Guy Opperman held his own Small Business Awards, sponsored by Hexham’s Patricia J Arnold & Co, and named Acomb’s Ridley’s Fish and Game as overall champions.

Guy said: “I’m delighted to join forces with Patricia Arnold to celebrate some of the great small businesses that we have in the Hexham constituency. Small Business Saturday was started to encourage everyone to support and celebrate their small local businesses, not just this Saturday, but every day of the year, and I am happy to do anything I can to support that ambition.”

In Corbridge, Forum Books has been chosen as an advocate for Small Business Saturday after being named in a list of 100 in the UK in the initiative’s ‘Small Biz 100’.