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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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ACT and ActSmart to meet with business minister Paul Scully to discuss high street initiatives

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

OParliamentn Wednesday 19th May the ACT and ActSmart, along with other key members of the Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC), will be partaking in a meeting with government officials in regard to the wellbeing of the high street.

The IRC is a well-established organisation, bringing together like-minded trade associations with interests in the small and independent retail sector. The IRC represents c.100,000 independent retailers throughout the UK, creating a growing retail network, committed to the development and sharing of best practice among associations and their members engaged in the independent retail sector. 

The meeting is the third one of its kind, following a conference with Small Business and Enterprise Minister Paul Scully at the end of last year and another one in February. Previous meetings evaluated any lessons that we have so far learned from national lockdowns and ways in which we can move forward from this using government support. Read more about that here.

The lockdown has heavily affected high street retailers, impacting both essential and non-essential retailers in different ways. The ACT has been collating feedback from IBDs in regard to ongoing issues that are being experienced and any queries that we have been unable to find solutions for. This information has then been combined with other IRC member feedback with following topics being agreed upon:

  • Feedback on the re-opening of the high street
  • Landlord Tenants
  • Brexit - Export/ VAT/ Ecommerce and barriers to SMEs
  • Permitted Development Rights

The IRC will be meeting with the minister once again early in the summer. If you would like to provide any feedback or suggestions that could potentially be discussed in the meeting please email info@indieretail.uk.

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