MORE than 16,000 showed their support for local enterprise in York on Small Business Saturday as five of the city's entrepreneurs visited Downing Street.

The national campaign to celebrate and support the UK's small businesses was marked in York with a Small Business Saturday Market outside York Minster.

Organised by City of York Council and Proudly, the market attracted 16,000 visitors on Saturday.

Cllr Dafydd Williams, cabinet member for Finance and Performance at City of York Council said: "It’s good to see that so many people got behind Small Business Saturday and supported local small businesses.

"City of York Council is committed to continuing to work with partners to facilitate an environment in York in which small businesses can grow and create jobs in the city.

"We were pleased to be supporting the Small Business Saturday initiative, alongside partners and were delighted by the numbers of people who came out to support the event."

In the run up to Small Business Centre five local businesses were among 100 to be featured in the 100 days leading up to Small Business Saturday, with one business being profiled every day on social media channels.

The 100 in 100 businesses from Yorkshire and the Humber, which included York Cocoa House, Hoglets, and Rafi's Spicebox, all based in York, as well a Pocklington's Acorn Art Gallery and Boroughbridge Post Office and Card Shop, visited Downing Street to take part in the first Downing Street Christmas Market.

Tina Boden, Yorkshire and Humber Ambassador for Small Business Saturday, and co-founder of micro business support group Enterprise Rockers, said: "‘It was a great afternoon bringing small business owners across the UK together.

"Fifteen of the Small Biz 100, including Rafi’s Spicebox from York, had an opportunity to promote what they do to MP’s who attended the event including chancellor George Osborne and Matthew Hancock, minister of State for Business and Enterprise along with Karren Brady, who is Small Business Ambassador to the UK Government."

"Micro and small business make up 99 per cent of the UK business community but their contribution to both local and regional economies are often overlooked.

"It is imperative that we not only encourage consumers to buy their goods and services from independent businesses but also help people to understand the financial implications.

"For every £1 spent with a local independent business around 65p goes back into local economy; if you spend that same £1 in large online or offline stores as little as 5p can be reinvested in the local economy."