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Cycling club raising funds for youth bike maintenance workshops and 'go slow' inclusivity initiative

21 Nov 2024

A local cycling club is raising money and seeking donations and assistance in order to teach bike maintenance to young people through a series of workshops in 2025.
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Bira meets with Treasury members to discuss Budget concerns and business rate reform proposal

17 Nov 2024

Bira has held a meeting with members of the Treasury team to discuss concerns following its robust response to the Government’s recent Budget announcement.
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ACT teams up with Saledock to supercharge bike shop efficiency and customer experience

14 Nov 2024

The ACT has announced a dynamic partnership with Saledock - an all-in-one POS, eCommerce, and inventory management platform tailor-made for bike shops and workshops.
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'Devastating and out of touch' - independent retailers react to Budget bombshell

1 Nov 2024

Independent retailers across Britain have reacted with dismay to yesterday's Budget, with many warning of store closures, job losses and cancelled expansion plans.
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Devastating Budget Delivers Triple Blow to Independent Retailers, Says ACT and Bira

30 Oct 2024

The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) and the ACT have condemned today's Budget as the most damaging for independent retailers in recent memory, with... Read more…

Retailers paying one-third of all UK business rates despite making up only 9% of economy

30 Oct 2024

Retailers and hospitality businesses are paying three times their economic share in business rates, according to analysis by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and UK Hospitality.
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How much cash do you still accept? Independent cycling retailers can respond to this survey today

30 Oct 2024

ACT parent company Bira is working with UK Finance and other organisations who form the UK’s wholesale cash industry to gain vital information to ensure businesses get the best possible... Read more…

Bira Conference a huge success with ACT members in attendance

25 Oct 2024

ACT members were in attendance at the hugely successful Bira Conference in London last week, featuring an inspiring line-up of speakers providing valuable insights from independent retail... Read more…

Bira cautiously welcomes retail sales growth but calls for continued support

11 Oct 2024

ACT parent company Bira has responded to the BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor for September 2024
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FSB launches blueprint to revitalise UK high streets and boost tourism

3 Oct 2024

The Federation of Small Businesses has launched a new initiative, which it says aims to transform high streets across the UK, by advancing economic, social, and cultural benefits, while also... Read more…

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The Best Small Shops competition gets a new look

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

 

The Best Small Shops competition was first launched back in 2015 and has since attracted thousands of entrants, narrowed down to hundreds of shortlisted shops, tens of runners-up and 3 worthy winners.

The competition celebrates, not only the commitment and creativity of entrepreneurial independent retailers on the UK's High Streets but also, the central role independent retailers play in building local communities.

The competition, part of the consumer-facing Indie Retail website, is managed by the Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC), a well-established organisation that brings together like-minded trade associations with interests in the independent retail sector.

Best Small Shops rebranding

Over the past five years the Best Small Shops competition has seen huge levels of growth into what is now a nationally recognised brand that is endorsed by MPs, key retail organisations, national and local press and of course has benefited thousands of shops.

This year sees the Best Small Shops competition set to grow ever further. 2020 has already seen the launch of a new monthly Indie Retail newsletter, confirmation of the Houses of Parliament reception and improvements to the entry process and judging criteria.

To celebrate this fast-paced level of growth and to amplify the competition further still, the IRC are delighted to announce a rebranding of the Best Small Shops competition, one that better reflects the commitment and high-quality level of independent shops that it represents throughout the UK.

The new logo features a small shop which is illustrated by fitting the competition name inside, with a range of colours that are complimentary to the Indie Retail brand - the platform on which the Best Small Shops competition is launched from.

The Best Small Shops competition is an umbrella brand that represents a range of retailers across the UK, with previous shortlisted shops ranging from cheesemongers to cycle shops, from cafes to record shops, from as far north as the Orkney Islands located above Scotland, all the way down to the South of England in Devon and everywhere in-between.

The Chairperson of the IRC, Mark Walmsley, said of the new branding "The IRC strongly believe that this new logo fully incorporates the diversity and breadth of the competition; the range of colours and professionalism will make an easily recognisable focal point for this year's entrants to proudly display."

Submit your entry now

This year's competition opens today! It will remain open for 5 months, giving shops an extended time frame to carefully fill in the entry form and be in for a chance to be named Best Small Shop of 2020.


To enter the competition you will need to:

  • Be an independent retailer, defined as a non-corporate business selling goods or services to the public for use or consumption rather than for resale, from a business rated premises in the UK
  • Create a public facing listing on the Indie Retail website
  • Complete the online competition entry form in full at bestsmallshops.uk
  • Submit your entry before 3pm on the 25th July 2020

Enter the Best Small Shops competition now

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