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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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Cautious welcome from business leaders for new PM Sunak

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News, Outdoor News, Political News

As the economic clouds darken, business leaders have tentatively welcomed the arrival of Rishi Sunak as the country’s new prime minister.

Rishi SunakThis follows indicators showing optimism among business leaders falling this month to its lowest level since April 2020, during the first lockdown of the Covid pandemic. Rising inflation, a period of political uncertainty and increasing borrowing costs, which impacted on growth potential, were to blame.

Jeff Moody Commercial Director of bira said: "We welcome the news that Rishi Sunak is the new British Prime Minister, and we hope this ends the period of uncertainty for businesses and the country as a whole.

"Anything that will stabilise financial markets and improve consumer confidence will help the High Street in such a vital trading period is key and we hope that they restore the much-needed confidence in the financial market after so many weeks of turbulence.

"Now we ask for the Prime Minister and his cabinet to concentrate on reducing the cost burden now with prompt support for business on energy and tax burdens but also in the long term by committing to reducing the rates burden on 'Bricks and Mortar' retailers to prevent further closures announcements," he added.

Tony Danker, the director general of the CBI, said the former chancellor had a “track record of seeing the economy through difficult times” during the Covid pandemic.

“He is now coming in at a time of great uncertainty with tough choices ahead. The new prime minister can lose no time in easing the impact of market turmoil on households and firms and helping to restore fiscal credibility.”

Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said his appointment came after a “hugely damaging” few months of political and economic uncertainty. “We cannot afford to see any more flip-flopping on policies – the UK’s businesses need a sustainable, long-term economic plan they can believe in.”

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive at the BRC, said that with consumer confidence at historically low levels, the new Prime Minister “will need to provide certainty to households and support them through the cost-of-living crisis.”

“Retailers are playing their part in supporting their customers, shielding them from the worst of rising costs resulting from a weaker pound, tight labour market and war in Ukraine. However, these efforts are threatened by the £800m bombshell of additional business rates that will hit retailers in April – a 10% rise that far outstrips sales growth over the last year. To support consumers at this difficult time, government should freeze business rates and reform the broken transitional relief system, or it will be households that pay through higher prices,” she added.

 

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