Craft shop owners are urging new Labour leader Ed Miliband to put small businesses at the heart of his campaign, saying it is time they were given recognition for the huge contribution they make to the economy each year.

Calling for the new leader to take action, Shelagh Duffill, owner of Battle Wool and Needlecraft Shop in East Sussex, says, “Independent retailers are often so busy dealing with the everyday challenges of running a business, that they do not get the chance to vocalise their concerns or appeal for help. It's therefore important that we have someone to do it for us and this is something I really hope the new leader will do.”

Addressing how important businesses like hers are to the overall economy, she adds, “Many of the larger retailers out there originally started as smaller-sized companies like mine and although I might not occupy as much space or generate as large a profit, there are certainly a lot of shops similar to mine out there and our total contribution to the UK must not go unnoticed.

“At the end of the day, if there were no craft stores, there would be nowhere for people to go for help or advice, and it is businesses like ours that keep the industry and its contribution to the economy going,” she adds.

Ms Duffill's comments are just one of a number of pleas to be made to the new leader since his election, with some of the country's leading business support groups, such as the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), also speaking out.

In its recent member survey, Voice of Small Business, the FSB addresses a number of issues presently affecting such companies – something the Group hopes will raise awareness of some of the serious difficulties many of them currently face.

The UK tax system was shown to be a particular cause for concern, with up to 75% of people saying they would like to see it simplified. Environmental matters were also a strong talking point, seeing 57% of small business owners confirm they would like to go green and they believe doing so would result in significant cost savings.

The report also reveals that red tape continues to be a burden for many, with up to 33% thinking too much of it is currently hindering their growth.

Addressing some the issues raised in the study, John Walker, national chairman of the FSB, comments, “The new leader will take the reins of the Labour party at a difficult time, with a Coalition Government and impending political change. It is important, however, that he remembers that small businesses are the biggest employer in this country and that it is they that will take the UK firmly onto the road to recovery.”

Commenting on the report, Ms Duffill adds, “Taxes are definitely a very serious issue for us right now and I think the current system is very unfair, particular for businesses like mine who often have to pay extortionate prices for services we do not benefit from – rubbish collection, for example.

“Keeping up with new legislation is also becoming quite difficult and it can be very easy for retailers like me to fall foul of the law simply because we are not aware of the changes that have been made – something I assume larger businesses with the necessary resources don't have to worry about,” she continues.

Asked what she would say to the new leader if she were to meet him face to face, she says, “As an independent retailer with a very small outlet, I would ask him to remember the huge contribution companies like mine make, not just to the economy but to the community as a whole. Many of us have invested our life savings into our stores and would not only lose our shops if we were to go out of business, but also our homes as well. It is therefore vital that those in power do as much as they possibly can to support us, particularly in the current economic climate when so many of us are being forced to close.”

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