October is Small Business Month! And to celebrate, we’re highlighting some of the great small businesses we have throughout the region. Read all the stories here.
Today for Small Business Month, we’re celebrating three local businesses that keep the New England hydrated, clean and secure.
Commercial Hotel Walcha
A proper country pub, where conversation still matters
100W Commercial Lane, Walcha NSW 2354
In the heart of Walcha, the Commercial Hotel is offering something that can sometimes feel increasingly rare – a good old-fashioned country pub where you can pull up a chair, enjoy a meal or a cold drink, and actually have a conversation.
Owned and run by Kristian Schmidt, the Commercial Hotel is open seven days a week, welcoming locals and travellers looking for a friendly place to eat, relax or stay. Alongside hearty pub meals and drinks, the hotel also offers comfortable accommodation for those wanting to make Walcha more than just a quick stop on the road.
But what makes the Commercial Hotel stand out is what you won’t find inside. There are no poker machines, no loud music competing for attention and no wall-to-wall television screens blaring sport. Instead, the focus is on simple things that have always made country pubs special – good food, cold drinks, friendly faces and a relaxed atmosphere where people can sit back and enjoy each other’s company. It’s a straightforward approach, but one that feels very much at home in Walcha: genuine country hospitality, a welcoming atmosphere and a place where locals and visitors alike can settle in and feel comfortable.
Sparkle Squad Cleaning Services
A helping hand for busy households
Armidale, NSW
For Skye Benson, cleaning isn’t just something that needs to be done — it’s something she’s genuinely good at. As a busy mum of five, Skye has turned that skill into Sparkle Squad Cleaning Services, a local cleaning business that has now been operating for more than a year.
Based in Armidale, Sparkle Squad focuses on creating clean and sanitary homes while making the experience as easy and comfortable as possible for clients.
Skye says putting clients first is at the heart of the business. She understands that life can get busy and that keeping on top of everything at home isn’t always easy, which is why Sparkle Squad takes a friendly, judgement-free approach.
For Skye, a more organised life can start at home. By helping take care of the cleaning, she hopes to give clients one less thing to worry about — and she particularly loves seeing the smile on a client’s face when a clean is complete.
It’s a simple philosophy, but one that captures what small local businesses can do so well: provide practical help, build trust with their customers and make everyday life just a little easier.
JAW Security Group
Local knowledge, practical security solutions
Gulmarrad, NSW
Security needs can look very different from one business, organisation or household to the next. For JAW Security Group, the focus is on understanding those individual needs and providing practical security solutions across Northern NSW and the New England region.
Locally owned and operated, JAW Security Group provides a broad range of security services, including mobile patrols, alarm response, 24/7 alarm monitoring, security guards, CCTV and alarm systems, and personal emergency response devices.
The business is led by Jackson Whitney, one of the company’s two directors. Jackson remains actively involved in the day-to-day operation of JAW Security Group, working directly with clients, planning patrols and helping develop the services the business provides across the region.
One of the company’s key points of difference is its combination of local knowledge and a broad range of services. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, the team works with clients to understand how a particular property, site or organisation operates and build security around those requirements.
That can mean bringing together services such as patrols, alarm monitoring, response and security systems through a single provider, while dealing directly with people involved in delivering those services.
For JAW Security Group, being local is about more than having a base in the region. It’s about understanding the communities and businesses the team works with and providing security solutions that make sense for the people and places they are designed to protect.
Throughout October, we’ll run stories highlighting the great local businesses we have right here in our communities. This is a free service – the businesses highlighted have not paid for this story.
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Please share this story to help support New England businesses! See all our Small Business Month profiles here.