ANDREW Stephenson MP is calling on retailers in his Pendle constituency to enter the Best Small Shops Competition.

It is open to any small shop operating in the UK. The competition is free to enter and all shops who enter will also be promoted to consumers through an online Indie Retail Directory.

Shopkeepers can nominate their businesses until Sunday September 9 via www.bestsmallshops.co.uk.

A shortlist of 25 will be drawn up by a panel made up of established representatives from the independent retail industry.

The judges will be looking for evidence of a small shops’ entrepreneurial spirit, ways that they have been innovative in their business and what they have done to have a lasting positive impact on their community.

The shortlisted retailers will be invited to a Parliamentary reception on the November 13 to meet their MP and find out who will be crowned the Best Small Shop for 2018.

Mr Stephenson said “Pendle has some fantastic small shops, with new ones opening all the time.

"In recent years Barnoldswick and Colne have won or been runners up in national competitions celebrating our local high streets.

"I’d urge local shopkeepers to nominate their businesses and really hope a shop from Pendle makes it through to the final.”