Small Business Saturday: The high and lows of running a small venture in Shropshire
The UK is celebrating Small Business Saturday today - so we find out what it is like to own one.
Held annually on the first Saturday of December, the initiative was launched as a grassroots campaign in 2013 and celebrates the UK's 5.45 million small companies, encouraging people to support them by spending and shopping small.
Aside from the main event, it is also a year-round national movement which aims to reach millions of people and encourage them to support small businesses.
But what's it like to run one in 2025? We canvassed the views of two independents in Shropshire to find out.
The Royle, Bridgnorth
The Royle is a pub and restaurant housed on Bridgnorth's High Street.
Once Bailey's Bistro, it was bought by husband and wife team Chris and Anna Walsh in spring 2020 just as the world faced a global lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was rebranded to The Royle - a nod to a family name - and eventually opened that September, now employing a 25-strong team.
The couple were already well-known faces in the town, having run the nearby King's Head alongside restaurant manager Sam Carter for 15 years.
Sam told us about the business and its challenges.
