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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…

Free webinar exclusive to ACT members on employment law compliance

4 Feb 2025

The ACT and legal partner WorkNest are hosting an exclusive webinar on how to remain compliant with employment law while making necessary business changes.
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Bira welcomes recent Bank of England interest rate cut

Posted on in Business News

The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has welcomed the Bank of England’s recent decision to cut interest rates from 5.25% to 5%.

Andrew Goodacre

Bira, which works with over 6,000 independent businesses of all sizes across the UK has said this move is a positive step for the retail sector and the wider economy.

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said: “We have been calling for a cut in interest rates for many months and so we are delighted that the Bank of England has finally decided to listen.

“Interest rates climbed too high too quickly, and whilst we can see that not all inflationary pressures have eased, the cut is needed to bolster consumer confidence, which in turn should boost consumer spending.”

Talking about the reduction, the first since March 2020, Goodacre added: “The cut will be seen as an important staging post as the economy starts to turn the corner on years of inflationary shocks. Businesses can start to anticipate cheaper borrowing and investment funding.”

The decision comes after the Bank of England’s rate-setting committee voted by a majority of five to four to reduce the rate. This base rate is closely followed as it heavily influences the rates set by High Street banks and money lenders.

Bira believes this rate cut will provide much-needed relief to independent retailers and consumers alike, potentially stimulating spending and investment in the retail sector.

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