Olivia Dunn Journalism

Lapwing Deli Didsbury

Many young entrepreneurs dream of having a business of their own and with the way things are changing in the corporate world the idea of having your own small business is seemingly more possible.

The definition of a small business is an enterprise with fewer than 50 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total less than £10 million. Some businesses don’t reach this but are funded through pure passion that can be arrange of many different things from family restaurants to accompanying corporate organisations. But why are these so important?

Since 2024 there has been a 3.5% increase in small business, this is an additional 191,000 businesses, according to Government statistics. From beachside shops in the depths of Cornwall to boho coffee shops north of Newcastle. Each one has their own personality and significant effect on the community surrounding it. 

Jess Peach

Jess Peach, the manager of Lapwing Deli – a small business in South Manchester believes small businesses are vital in a community, and gathering support from locals is what helps a business thrive. 

She said: “The sense of community is really strong here, we get the same people every day, it is just a really good vibe.”

 Lapwing Deli was taken over by new owners Jack Warborton and Jay Anderton in October 2021 and has been growing as a small business since.

 Jess said: “A great thing about the deli is the fact that we put on a lot of events, it’s a space for everyone. We have lots of bar evenings where people rent the space for things like their 40th birthday, and its often regulars that we have seen before so it’s lovely that you get to celebrate with them.”  

A big change that occurred since the shops takeover was switching up the stock, mainly to support other local businesses in the area. 

Jess said: “The perks of working here is that other small businesses are supported, like we have got loads of gyozas from Clair who works in Chorlton, which is a mile away and we have cards made by a local artist, it is forever coming in and we are always open to new people.” 

The deli is one of many small businesses in the area that is a pinnacle for the community, the sandwich shop doesn’t only sell coffees and your daily snacks but provides locals with upcoming event information through their community news board and a chance to donate to neighbourhood charities with donation boxes by the till. 

The small business clearly means a lot of the people on Lapwing Lane, providing a sense of comfort with their deli box lunch. 

High streets have been struck with falling footfall, high operation costs and inflation. The government have announced that in early 2024 an average of 38 stores closed daily. But it is not all doom and gloom for entrepreneurs as small businesses have also been given a chance to flourish through the changes of social media. The increase in TikTok shops and marketplace madness, just having an online account means you can get started. 

Gasp on Lark Lane

The online world has changed the way businesses work with free promotion from individual accounts on social media. Many companies have gone viral on the internet which has boosted their brand to levels they never would have dreamed of. This has changed the business model for many drastically, giving people the opportunity to sell their goods from their home. TikTok newsroom reported they have 15 million merchants globally, with 200,000 of these being active sellers in the UK.

Small businesses aren’t just about selling a product or food item, there are many that help and accompany the corporate world, one of these being the Customer Closeness Company. 

Customer Closeness focuses on bringing senior leaders in large organisations closer with their customers, using qualitative research methodologies.

 The company consists of 13 employees and has a turnover of £2 million per year, many of their clients consist of big names such as Boots and NatWest. 

This small business shatters the traditional stereotype of them being a quirky coffee or jewellery shop.

Nicola Craig the Director said: “I have actually spent a big chuck of my career in the corporate world.” 

She worked at Sky for many years and started “Customer closeness program” there before realising there was a gap in the market for this level of support after being repeatedly asked for advice from partnering corporate companies. 

She said: “That’s when I saw the opportunity.” So she started her company in 2010.

Nicola agreed that customers get a different experience with their business saying: “We really try to practise what we preach. So just as we encourage our clients to offer their customers a more human experience, we aim to do the same.” 

Many large organisations that use Customer Closeness already have the data, but where they struggle is turning all of that into action. 

“It helps leaders to feel more confident in their decisions,” she added. 

Having a small business is important to Nicola. She said: “Small businesses bring fresh thinking and can move quickly whereas big organisations sometimes get bogged down, so we’re naturally more flexible and when things do change, which they always do, small businesses can respond faster.” 

Small businesses help Britain work smoothly, from providing a homemade-style lunch to helping your bank work more efficiently, they bring the UK together. They allow for people to pursue their dreams and passions and give them a job they truly enjoy. Small businesses help the British economy massively providing 48% of the private sector turnover, with the Government also acknowledging the fuel they provide to local communities, the offer of flexible employability opportunities and the focus they give to niche markets.

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By Olivia Dunn