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Independent shops better than big retailers at surviving COVID in the UK

1 May 2024

Small shops have been more "agile" at fighting COVID sale slumps than chain stores, according to a new report.
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Bike shops and cyclists alike urged to gear up to take advantage of Local Bike Shop Day 2024

30 Apr 2024

The UK’s estimated 7.6 million cyclists are being urged to get on their bikes on Saturday May 4th and head down to their local independent bike shop, as many prepare special activities to... Read more…

Peterborough store selling solely local products looks to expand.

29 Apr 2024

A Peterborough store stocking products solely from local entrepreneurs said it is bucking the High Street trend and looking to expand due to its success.
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BIRA launches ‘High Street Matters’ podcast for independent retailers

29 Apr 2024

BIRA is giving independent businesses across the UK a powerful new resource with the launch of its “High Street Matters” podcast.
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Tesco accused of undercutting local shops via its wholesale business.

29 Apr 2024

The Guardian has reported independent shopkeepers saying prices they pay at Tesco’s cash-and-carry arm Booker are often higher than in Tesco’s stores.
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Get ready to celebrate independent Record Store Day

18 Apr 2024

Independent record stores around the country are preparing to celebrate all things vinyl for this year’s Record Store Day on Saturday April 20th. 
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Indies encouraged to put themselves forward for Retail Business of the Year award.

18 Apr 2024

BIRA, the British Independent Retailers Association, has announced its partnership with this year’s SME National Business Awards., joining the 2024 awards as a leading sponsor, backing... Read more…

Family-run Polesworth fish and chip shop celebrates 40 years in business with half-price chips.

18 Apr 2024

A Midlands fish and chip shop is celebrating 40 years in business and offering half-price chips to mark the milestone.
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Assault of shop workers to be made specific criminal offence

18 Apr 2024

Assaulting a shop worker is to be made a separate criminal offence in England and Wales as part of a government response to a wave of retail crime. 
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New stores helping Cardiff arcades buck retail trends.

18 Apr 2024

Eleven new businesses that have opened in the last year in the historic arcades of Cardiff city centre’s Morgan Quarter, made up of the Morgan and Royal arcades, have helped the arcades... Read more…

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Energy Bill Relief Scheme for businesses to continue to end of March 2023, Chancellor confirms

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, has confirmed in a statement that the Energy Bill Relief Scheme for businesses will continue to the end of March 2023 as planned.

Jeremy HuntHowever, the Chancellor has ordered a Treasury-led review into how to provide energy support to individuals and businesses from April 2023. The Chancellor stated that support should be targeted to businesses that need help most. Businesses are being urged to complete the government’s survey here.

Mr Hunt’s statement included several other announcements regarding last month’s mini-budget.

The Chancellor also announced that:

  • The basic rate of income tax, which was due to be cut to 19%, will now remain at 20%
  • The scrapping of the rise to corporation tax has been abandoned. Corporation tax will rise to 25% in April 2023
  • Reforms to IR35, off-payroll employee pay, and dividend tax reforms have been dropped
  • The introduction of VAT-free shopping for tourists visiting the UK has been scrapped
  • The freezing of alcohol duty rates has been scrapped
  • The 1.25% rise to National Insurance Contributions, to fund the Health and Social Care Levy, will be dropped as planned
  • The Annual Investment Allowance, Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme and Company Share Options Plan will go ahead as planned

The Chancellor will publish the government’s fiscal rules with an OBR forecast, and further economic measures on 31st October 2022.

In his statement, the Chancellor said:

"Any support for businesses will be targeted to those most affected and the new approach will better incentivise energy efficiency."

"The most important objective for our country right now is stability. Governments cannot eliminate volatility in markets, but they can play their part, and we will do so because instability affects the prices of things in shops, the cost of mortgages, and the values of pensions."

"There will be more difficult decisions, I'm afraid, on both tax and spending as we deliver our commitment to get debt falling as a share of the economy over the medium term."

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