Engagement for Shadow Secretary

Pictured (l-r) Alderman Allan Ewart, Chairman of Lisburn City Council's Economic Development Committee; Mr Ivan Lewis, MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; Mayor, Councillor Margaret Tolerton and Mr Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association. Mr Lewis' visit to Lisburn was his first official public engagement since being appointed to Shadow Secretary of State for NI.

The Mayor, Councillor Margaret Tolerton and Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, Alderman Allan Ewart, welcomed Mr Lewis, with Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA).

Mr Lewis was the guest of honour at an information seminar was held at Lisburn City Council which included representatives from business and commercial sectors, including Lisburn Chamber of Commerce, representatives from the Association of Trade Centre Managers and other public sector organisations.

Following on from its success in the United States, a concept called Small Business Saturday was discussed, as donated by the company American Express to the United Kingdom.

A campaign for Small Business Saturday will run in Northern Ireland and delegates at the seminar were provided with details of the forthcoming campaign.

Alderman Allan Ewart said: “I am delighted to welcome Mr Lewis the new Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to Lisburn on his first official public engagement.

“The Small Business Saturday initiative is very interesting and we certainly hope for spin-offs for local Lisburn businesses.”

Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive of NIIRTA and Chair of Small Business Saturday NI said: “We are delighted with the support of Lisburn City Council and Lisburn Chamber of Commerce for Small Business Saturday on December 7.

“It is vital that everyone in Lisburn gets behind the campaign to support and showcase every type of Small Business.”