A TRADER in Keighley's Airedale Shopping Centre is celebrating his first year in business by taking part in a national initiative to boost the local economy.

Mark Dale runs Pink V Blue in the centre and first opened the clothing store 12 months ago.

He said he wants other shops to enjoy the same success he has experienced, so is joining fellow Airedale tenants and staff, along with other independent traders from Keighley town centre, to promote Small Business Saturday on December 6.

He said: “I would welcome anything that helps boost business for the independent traders. We really need it."

Small Business Saturday originated in an American idea, in which a day is chosen to focus on the local, independent businesses in every town and village. For 24 hours shoppers turn their backs on the big chains, using instead local traders and eating at local restaurants.

Mr Dale added: “Independent shops do need a bit of help as what we offer is a bit different. I think it is a lot more personal and the service is better than you often get in the chain stores.

“I really try to look after my customers and I think that makes their shopping that bit more enjoyable than in the bigger places.”

Airedale Shopping Centre Manager Steve Seymour is backing the initiative. He said: “Our strength for shoppers is the mix between big brands they know and the smaller independent stores, where you can pick up unusual, one-off gifts and products.

“Many of our customers value the one-to-one service you get at a smaller, often family-run shop and Brunswick Arcade in particular has a good selection of independent traders."

Another store in the Airedale centre getting behind Small Business Saturday is Present Days gift shop, owned by Dawn Drake.

She said: “It’s really important to support independent retailers. We’ve got a lot of great products and we need to stick together as it’s hard to keep up with the big boys.

“Anything that helps promote us and raise awareness is a good idea as even after 13 years it’s so important to remind people that we are here.”

Joining the call for shoppers to think local is Preethi Ravichanbrann, who has been running Nail Architect at Airedale Shopping Centre for the last five months.

She said: “This is a great idea. It would be really good to have more independent traders and to encourage that business.”

Manish Patel, who runs the centre’s Coffee Delight café, said: “We do really need to promote the independents as we offer a more personal service to our customers.

“We can change things round and have things how the customer like it which the bigger places can’t do.”

Mo Hafejee, from Airedale Opticians, said: “Independent shops have become more important than ever, as customers cannot get the individual care and attention from high street chain stores.”