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V12 are extending their opening hours to support retailers and customers during this festive period.

21 Nov 2022

During this festive period, V12 want to increase the support available to you and your customers. From this Friday their Customer Services, Underwriting and Validations teams will be operating... Read more…

Dave Wilsher ex-ACT Director wins Family Business of the Year

18 Nov 2022

Dave Wilsher ex-ACT Director wins Family Business of the Year at the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce awards.
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Retail Sector Reacts with Cautious Welcome to Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

17 Nov 2022

Retail and small business organisations have given a cautious welcome to business-focused aspects of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.
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Confront the recession head on, says the ACT.

17 Nov 2022

Cycle retailers around the UK facing up to the imminent challenges of recession will need to stay one step ahead of the curve to survive. Now is the time to benefit from being part of something... Read more…

Grants of £30K available to create up to eight secure cycle storage facilities across Belfast

15 Nov 2022

Belfast City Council is seeking expressions of interest to provide publicly accessible secure cycle storage facilities across the city.
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Mary Portas warns government to act now or see half of high street shops shut

14 Nov 2022

Ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement this week, retail expert Mary Portas called on the Government to rethink business rates and VAT to help struggling retailers.
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94% independent retailers urge government to ‘preserve UK high streets’

10 Nov 2022

A new report by Ankorstore and retail consultant Mary Portas has found that 94% of independent retailers want the government to act in next week’s budget to preserve the UK’s high... Read more…

Celebrate independent shops, artists, makers & small businesses with JUST A CARD - INDIE WEEK 21-25 November 2022 The colourful, independent alternative to Black Friday!

10 Nov 2022

Now in its sixth year, JUST A CARD - INDIE WEEK encourages people to support, value and buy from independents during the crucial Christmas retail period. Many independent businesses are finding... Read more…

bira offers guidance on energy bill relief scheme

9 Nov 2022

bira has been offering guidance to retailers on how to take advantage of the Government’s energy bill relief scheme.
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Indie retailers – get ready to capitalise on World Cup opportunity

8 Nov 2022

The world’s largest brewer, Budweiser Brewing Group, has suggested that the World Cup, which kicks off in Qatar on November 20th, could see a possible 13.5% increase in off-trade sales,... Read more…

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Mary Portas warns government to act now or see half of high street shops shut

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

Ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement this week, retail expert Mary Portas called on the Government to rethink business rates and VAT to help struggling retailers.

She said: “Put simply we could lose half of all shops. We need to look at the systems they are currently working under, because they are not fit for purpose for the future.

Row of Bikes

“So VAT, business rates, all of it needs to be looked at. We need to look at the bigger picture and how people want, and need to live, in the future – for the good of themselves and the planet.”

In 2011, she published a report stating the aim was to “put the heart back into the centre of our high streets, calling on the authorities to re-imagine them “as destinations for socialising, culture, health, wellbeing, creativity and learning.” But she says nothing has changed in the past decade and without more support thousands of small shops will be lost during the cost-of-living crisis.

“It’s no different now to 11 years ago when I brought out my report,” she says. “As for big business and governments, people don’t trust them, they’ve had enough. We want what’s local, what’s safe and what we can trust.”

She added: “What’s inspiring, but at the same time frustrating, is everything I wrote in my report more than a decade ago, about how important high streets are to our society and our daily lives, is the same.

“They’re more important than what is being sold to us. People, particularly post-Covid, realise how important they are to their wellbeing and how they live. Having thriving high streets we can walk or cycle to for our daily needs is vital to our future.”

She praised “incredible independents” which make up 90% of high street businesses but admitted frustration because “all we talk about are big businesses”.

She said: “Small businesses have been hugely successful, and we need them to succeed. When it comes to budgets and government spending, I believe it needs to be about prioritising. And I happen to think we should prioritise the wellbeing of society.”

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