More than £700 million was spent in small businesses across Britain on Small Business Saturday.

The event, held earlier this month to promote start-ups and micro businesses, saw the tally rise by 15 per cent on 2015 to £717 million, while 57 per cent of shoppers said they spent more than they usually would.

A majority of local authorities nationwide - 80 per cent - supported the day, using tactics that included free parking and events in order to drive footfall and encourage spending.

Said Michelle Ovens, Small Business Saturday campaign director, “To see the spend on Small Business Saturday reach £249 million more this year than on the first Saturday in 2013, an increase of 53 per cent, is fantastic and confirms the positive stories we are hearing from small businesses in communities across the UK.”

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