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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 campaign calling on the government to #RaiseTheBar

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News, Political News

Tens of thousands of shops, pubs, clubs, restaurants, hotels and leisure businesses on our High Streets, town centres and in our communities are currently unable to access Government grants putting millions of jobs at risk.

#RaiseTheBar are campaigning for the government to increase the threshold from £51,000 to £150,000 and save tens of thousands of businesses from going under by allowing more businesses the opportunity to access the £25,000 grant.

The #RaiseTheBar campaign believes access to the £25,000 is the difference between survival and bankruptcy for businesses on High Streets across England and Wales, which have welcomed an outpouring of support from the public during
lockdown choosing to support their local communities.

The grant will enable businesses to mitigate significant stock losses and cashflow challenges, including rent, that wage subsidies do not address. Many businesses are not in a position to take on further debt or have serious misgivings about being able to survive the recovery and service loans. Other cash pressures include suppliers, service charges and the cost of re-opening to repurchase stock and ongoing running costs.

Matthew Sims, CEO, Croydon BID and co-founder of #RaiseTheBar campaign said, "Access to the RHLG grant is a ticking time bomb for tens of thousands of businesses on our High Streets and in our local communities. There are just eight weeks until rent is due and the prospect of going under is an uncomfortable truth the Government needs to hear and act upon now. The consequences of failing to increase the business rates threshold are too grim to bear." 

The #RaiseTheBar campaign launched a Change.org petition on Thursday 23 April and is calling on the public to sign the petition to help save the nation's High Streets. The petition needs to reach 10,000 signatures to be recognised by Government and has just over 1,000 signatures remaining to achieve this goal. 

Find out more about the #RaiseTheBar campaign and how you can help by visiting raisethebarcampaign.com.

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