THE first Saturday in December is Small Business Saturday and Thurrock Council is doing a great deal to help local businesses.

Saturday, December 6 is also the first of this year’s free parking Saturdays in all council owned and run car parks, enabling shoppers to come into town and park for free.

And the Grays Loyalty Card now boasts ten extra stores offering exclusive deals, bringing the total to 35.

The ten newcomers are G Green & Sons, Head 2 Toe, Mo’s Tailoring, Inspiral, Unwins Car Spares, KT American Nails, Grays Impressions, Grays Gifts, The Bike Shop, and Sophie’s Toy Barn.

People can find out all the shops taking part and what each of them offer by logging on to http://www.my-loyalty-card.com/grays/ Cards can be picked up from all participating shops, and people can register their card online to receive updates on the latest offers.

The council is also continuing its shop front grant scheme smartening up high streets by providing grants to renovate shop fronts in four priority areas.

The scheme targets business premises in areas that have suffered from high numbers of vacant shops in the past: Aveley, Socketts Heath, Stanford-le-Hope and South Ockendon.

Businesses can apply for a grant of up to £3,000 towards external renovations or improvement of ground floor and upper floor retail units.

Over the past five months four stores have benefitted from the grant scheme - Nicol’s Photography Studio on Rectory Road, Grays have recently had a grant to renew their shop front for example. Owner Nicola Barnes said: “I am over the moon with the new sign. It makes a big difference, especially at night when lit up.

“I wouldn’t have been able to get the sign I wanted without the grant”.

Stanford-le-Hope has also seen a high uptake of the grants and is starting to rejuvenate the high street.

Monty’s Curry House and Taste of Asia in Corringham Road have both received grants for a new sign and to improve the look and access to their restaurants respectively.

Special Occasions, a long-standing wedding shop in King’s Parade used their grant to modernise the look of their shop with a new sign and paint work.

Interested shopkeepers in the area should contact the council to find out if they’re eligible on: 01375 366 103. Further details on the scheme can be found at: www.thurrock.gov.uk/shop-front-improvement.