A PROMINENT Lake District businesswoman rubbed shoulders with the Prime Minister at a festive event in the capital.

Maria Whitehead, co-owner of Hawkshead Relish, was invited to London to attend a special Christmas street market at 10 Downing Street.

Attendees were joined by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty and the Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt as the London landmark was transformed into a winter wonderland in the build-up to marking the 10th anniversary of Small Business Saturday (December 3).

The assembled guests visited each of the 12 businesses that had the opportunity of showcasing their products at the event celebrating the best of up-and-coming British businesses including the likes of Birchall Tea, Finnebrogue Artisan, Wensleydale Creamery, and Sandwick Bay Candles.

A record 5.5 million small businesses registered in the UK at the start of 2022, providing jobs for 16.4 million people in the UK.

During her time at the event Maria met and talked to the PM and his wife and took the opportunity to present them with a selection of Hawkshead Relish goodies and to chat with them about current export market opportunities and her coming trip to India in 2023. 

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Maria was also fortunate to have a conversation with the Chancellor during which she chatted with him about the difficulties being experienced by many small businesses across the country, particularly those in rural areas in the face of the current economic climate. 

Maria said: "It was really helpful to have the opportunity to chat with both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor and discuss some of the issues small businesses in rural areas are facing at the moment. 

"There's no doubt it's been another tough year for small independent businesses, but they've shown remarkable resilience and innovation in adapting to meet the challenges currently being experienced by businesses of every size up and down the country. 

"I would encourage communities to support their local small businesses as much as possible, in doing so they help keep local people in employment, circulate money in the economy and help maintain those communities as vibrant places in which to live and work."