Pressure is mounting on local councils to drop parking charges for shoppers on Small Business Saturday which falls this year on 6 December.

The campaign began last year and was regarded as a major success for SMEs. Back then, 40 local authorities withdrew charges and groups including the Forum of Private Business (FPB) have called for more councils to add their support this time around.

The FPB has written to all local authorities requesting that fees be dropped on Small Business Saturday, which was created to throw a spotlight on small independent retailers who are facing increased competition from global chains, especially online.

FPB chief executive Phil Orford said: “As the cost of doing business continues to rise, it is more important than ever to support our small businesses.

“Last year local authorities responded enthusiastically to our call. Forty councils agreed to offer free parking and many created bespoke parking offers to help drive footfall on the day.

“This was a testament to the excellent work local authorities can do to support small businesses. We hope to build on the success of last year’s campaign and that even more will look to throw their weight behind the initiative.”