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Small Business Strategy Inquiry 2025 - ACT and Bira call for members to share their voice

20 Jun 2025

The House of Commons Business and Trade Committee has asked the ACT, and its parent company Bira, to help them reach out to small business retailers across the country, for their quick input on... Read more…

Beyond the discount: Restoring integrity to the cycle supply chain

18 Jun 2025

The Association of Cycle Traders believes the time has come for greater accountability throughout our supply chain, writes ACT Director Jonathan Harrison in an article published for BikeBiz.
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Bira welcomes Wales' business rates proposals but calls for key improvements

11 Jun 2025

Bira has welcomed the Welsh Government's consultation on business rate reforms for retail shops, whilst calling for significant improvements to ensure the proposals truly support high street... Read more…

New awards launch to champion Britain's independent high street heroes

9 Jun 2025

Retailers on Britain's high streets are being encouraged to put themselves forward for the first-ever Love Your High Street Awards, designed to celebrate the small businesses that bring... Read more…

"Tectonic shift" in employment law threatens independent retailer viability, warns Bira podcast

6 Jun 2025

Independent retailers are facing a "generational" transformation of employment law that could fundamentally change how small businesses operate, according to the final episode of Bira's first... Read more…

Retailers hope warm weather and bank holidays will boost high street sales

16 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has said that members are hopeful the warm weather, Easter weekend and upcoming bank holidays will provide a much-needed boost to high street sales.
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Economic growth surges to 0.7%, but "April reality check" looms for high street retailers

15 May 2025

UK economy delivers strongest quarterly performance in a year despite forecasts of business downturn.
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Communities come together for Local Bike Shop Day 2025 celebrations

13 May 2025

Local Bike Shop Day 2025 brought a wave of... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira welcomes Bank of England's latest interest rate cut

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has welcomed the Bank of England's decision to reduce interest rates from 4.5% to 4.25%, calling it a "much-needed boost" for the retail sector, including for cycling... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira responds to Beales' "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" as iconic store makes final protest

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has responded to the news that the 144-year-old Beales department store is staging a "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" in its final weeks of trading, with giant yellow... Read more…

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Whalley's specialist outdoor shop in the running to be Best Small Shop 2019

Posted on in Outdoor News

There is now less than 2 weeks to go until the Best Small Shop in the UK of 2019 is announced at the reception in the House of Commons!

Over the last couple of weeks we have been introducing you to the fantastic shops that have been shortlisted and telling you about the wonderful ways in which they continuously help their communities and why they stood out to the judges.

A family-run outdoor shop in Whalley, Lancashire has been named on the shortlist of retailers in the running to be named Britain's Best Small Shop of 2019.

Whalley Warm & Dry offers a multi-award-winning specialist boot fitting and customisation service in store. Trained fitters take ten measurements to identify the length, width & volume of the feet whilst the customer relaxes with a cup of tea. Using the latest technology, pressure distribution & foot arch are assessed. Staff then match the customers feet to the shop's extensive range of footwear, which includes 170 different fitting options & styles not found anywhere else in the UK. They personalise the fit of the footwear in store to match the contours of the feet, which is achieved through gentle steaming and stretching.

The shop also has a "Make a day of it" page on their website which helps the local visitor economy by promoting local places to eat, shop & discover. Whalley Warm & Dry regularly sponsor local events and have helped to raise money & donations for local causes including homelessness and mental health. 

 

For more information about Whalley Warm & Dry visit their pages in the Indie Retail Shop directory. Keep up to date with the Best Small Shops competition by following our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages.

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