The Voice Black Business Guide 2020-21

Page 6

6

LONDON

UK BLACK BUSINESS GUIDE 2020-21

SUPPORT BLACK BUSINESSES FOR COMMUNITY GROWTH It’s estimated that the spending power of UK black consumers is £300 billion and the question that is often asked is how much of that is spent within our community? Two years ago, The Voice published The Voice Black Business Guide magazine to highlight self-sustained small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) and sole traders across the United Kingdom. Many of these businesses are run by unsung heroes and heroines, and their products and services contribute significantly to the UK economy. The Voice will continue to highlight the valuable contribution that these businesses are making, not only by generating wealth for the community and revenue through taxes for the economy, but in job creation as well. According to figures released in 2018, more than 55,000 businesses have been launched with the help of government start-up loans since 2012, creating more than 66,000 jobs. Significantly more than twenty percent of these enterprises are black owned. With the global pandemic Covid-19 adversely affecting our lives and the livelihood of black business owners and their families, it is even more crucial that they get our support. The Voice is calling on everyone to consciously support black businesses now more than ever. This Voice Black Business Guide is important as it gives these businesses a platform to showcase their many products and services to a wider audience and enable people to find them. Potential customers in Leeds can be aware of black business establishments in London and use their services. Likewise, someone in the Midlands can buy from a supplier in Kent or other parts of the country. This third edition of The Voice Black Business Guide covers businesses in a wider range of sectors – from the hair and beauty industry to health and wellness. When the guide was first published in October 2018, it was followed by the first Voice Black Business Fair at Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton, south London. The event attracted over 2,000 visitors who were eager to support black businesses and purchase their gifts in time for Christmas. The second staging of the Business Fair took place in December 2019 at the newly refurbished Fairfield Halls, in Croydon and many of the businesses featured in this guide also exhibited at the show. Unfortunately, we are not able to host the Business Fair this year, but hopefully it will be back in 2021! Spending your money with black-owned businesses will create wealth in our community and pave the way for future generations.

Black Pages Directory Connecting you with the Black and Caribbean Business Community

The Voice Black Business Guide 2020-2021 is available in print and as a digital download from the Voice website at www.voice-online.co.uk


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.