TODAY is Small Business Saturday, on what is set to be one of the biggest days of the year for small traders.

Shopkeepers and service providers across Basingstoke and Deane are hoping that Small Business Saturday will get the cash tills ringing in the run up to Christmas.

Residents and visitors are being urged to show their support by shopping locally, especially in the Top of The Town area of Basingstoke.

And to encourage this the borough council has teamed up with Destination Basingstoke and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to offer a special prize draw.

Shoppers who spend over £5 before 7pm in any participating small business from today up until December 14 will have the chance to win prizes worth a total of £1,000.

These include a Truly Scrumptious pamper day and VIP passes, tickets to The Haymarket or The Anvil, dinner at The Lime Leaf, in London Street, and vouchers for Basing Cycles and The Secret Garden, in Winchester Street.

And today, to give the campaign a further boost, Top of The Town shoppers and those out to enjoy a meal will be able to get a refund on the cost of their parking when they spend over £10.

Car park users can bring their ticket for car parking on the Saturday and proof of purchase from a participating Top of The Town retailer on the same day, to the council offices in London Road Basingstoke before December 23, for a refund on normal daytime parking charges.

The offer applies to people parking from 8am to 6pm in the council-owned Albert Yard, Brinkletts, Castons Yard, Castons, Central, Civic Offices, Eastlands, Feathers Yard, Jacobs Yard, Joices Yard, Sarum Hill and Southern Road car parks.

To find out more visit basingstoke.gov.uk/go/small businesssaturday.