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ACT parent company Bira responds to Prime Minister's 'Bobbies on the Beat' plan

11 Apr 2025

Bira has cautiously welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement this week on plans to put 'thousands of Bobbies back on the Beat' with a new neighbourhood policing guarantee.
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ACT parent company Bira warns of 'Atrocious April' as shop price inflation rises

1 Apr 2025

Bira has voiced serious concerns over the latest figures from the BRC-NIQ Shop Price Index for March 2025.
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ACT parent company Bira says Spring Statement fails to address high street crisis

26 Mar 2025

ACT parent company Bira has said the Chancellor's Spring Statement delivered today has failed to address the "perfect storm" of cost pressures facing independent retailers across the UK,... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira outlines key priorities ahead of Spring Budget

25 Mar 2025

ACT parent company Bira has outlined its key priorities ahead of the Chancellor's Spring Budget statement.
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Bristol-based cycling charity Life Cycle now offering Cytech training courses

20 Mar 2025

Cytech, the internationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for bicycle mechanics, have partnered with Bristol-based charity Life Cycle to offer a range of bicycle mechanic... Read more…

High street 'death knell' – indie retailers, including cycle shops, shutting doors ahead of April tax rises

12 Mar 2025

Towns and cities across Britain are already seeing a wave of closures as independent businesses shut their doors ahead of April’s triple tax burden, including those in the cycling retail... Read more…

Research shows UK businesses hiring more as consumer confidence lifts

5 Mar 2025

New research has revealed a recent uptick in UK consumer confidence, leading to increased hiring by businesses, with the retail sector responding positively to signs of economic resilience.
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Independent cycle shop becomes first retailer to stock new local bike brand

28 Feb 2025

Independent cycling retailer and ACT member Velo Fit has become the first to stock a new brand of bikes focused on combining quality and affordability.
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Bira cautiously welcomes new crime and policing bill to tackle retail crime across high street businesses

26 Feb 2025

ACT parent company Bira has cautiously welcomed Labour's Crime and Policing Bill but is calling for urgent action and immediate funding to address the surge in retail crime affecting independent... Read more…

Bira warns of 'troubled times ahead' despite interest rate cut

7 Feb 2025

ACT parent company Bira has warned that retailers across Britain face troubled times ahead despite today's Bank of England interest rate cut to 4.5%, as the Bank halves its growth forecast for... Read more…

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Coronavirus Testing available for shop workers

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News, Political News

The Government has extended COVID-19 testing to essential workers with symptoms and people who live with essential workers and have symptoms. This includes anyone with symptoms whose work cannot be done from home including shop workers.

Employers can register their staff through a digital employer portal by emailing portalservicedesk@dhsc.gov.uk.

Employees are also able to self-register through a separate employee portal.

The government has confirmed there are two ways that essential workers can obtain COVID-19 tests:

Employer Referral

Employers can use the employer referral portal to refer essential workers who are self-isolating either because they or members(s) of their household have COVID-19 symptoms, for testing.

Employers will be able to upload the full list of names and contact details of self-isolating essential workers.
If referred through this portal, essential workers will receive a text message with a unique invitation code to book a test for themselves (if symptomatic) or their symptomatic household member(s) at a regional testing site.

To obtain a login to the portal, employers should email portalservicedesk@dhsc.gov.uk with two email addresses that will be primarily be used to load essential worker contact details. Once employer details have been verified, two login credentials will be issued for the employer referral portal.

Self-Referral

  • Essential workers who are self-isolating can book a test directly.
  • Two testing processes will be available. These include a regional test site drive-through appointment or a home test kit.
  • The government has developed guidance on the self-referral process here. Essential workers can book a test directly by clicking here. Please note that the self-referral portal currently states that applications are closed.

Please note that this testing process only applies to England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland may have they're only processes. We are currently working with devolved administrations so we can communicate the details of their processes to retailers.

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