As part of ‘Small Business Saturday’ I have been out and about in Penarth visiting local small businesses to find out a little more about them and enjoying the many different products and services Penarth Town Centre has to offer.
Yesterday I spent some time with Karen and Leah at the Umpa Lumpa Sweet Shop in Windsor Arcade. Karen, Managing Director, took over the already well-established business three years ago and is now steaming ahead into her third Christmas with lots of festive treats on offer. As an attempt to offer something for everyone Karen has widened her selection of sweets to include sugar- and gluten-free options, as well as products made especially for vegans, with lots of Welsh products in the mix.
It was lovely to hear about how Umpa Lumpa sweet shop also goes out into the community, having pop-ups in residential homes and call-centres, as well as at community events in the area. Karen is also taking some great ideas forward from making bespoke Easter Eggs to using online services for ordering and deliveries.
A regular part of my Saturday morning is visiting the butcher, greengrocer, Hamptons or a range of other small businesses in and around Penarth Town Centre. I am very glad that the Penarth Times have led a campaign to encourage residents to support the high street, particularly due to the wide range of products and services on offer.
Today I’ll be visiting Blades on Glebe St for my regular haircut. I’m grateful to Lewis and the team for fitting me into their very busy schedule.