A bus tour to promote small businesses will stop off in St Albans on a five week journey around the country.

Businesspeople will be able to hop aboard the big blue Small Business Saturday bus for free mentoring sessions from experts and accountants.

There will also be a chance for 20 companies to showcase their offering in a gazebo by the bus, in an initiative called Business on Board.

Portfolio holder for business and the community at St Albans district council (SADC), Cllr Salih Gaygusuz, said: “It is a great coup for St Albans to get a bus visit as many other towns and cities competed for the honour.

“The organisers recognised that we have a vibrant local economy with about 9,000 small businesses based in the district and particularly strong professional services and green technology sectors.

“As a council, we are active in helping businesses to thrive and recently have been involved with other organisations in planning for the creation of a new enterprise zone.

“I urge small businesses, whether it’s a family concern, a shop, a manufacturer or an online firm, to take advantage of this opportunity and come along to visit the bus as well as take part in Small Business Saturday.”

As well as the bus tour, the Small Business Saturday promotional day launched in the UK five years ago.

It aimed to raise the profile of independents in the retail sector and is principally sponsored by American Express.

This year the main Saturday will be held on December 1. The bus tour started in Blackburn on October 25 and ends in London on November 28.

SADC has backed the campaign and tour, and the bus will be on St Peter’s Street, in front of the St Albans Museum + Gallery, on November 27 from 9am to 3pm.

Anyone interested in publicising their business beside the bus or signing up for a mentoring session are required to book at smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/

There is also information available about setting up an event on December 1.

The bus tour team can be contacted at bustour@smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com