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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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The Times names prettiest towns for indie Christmas shopping

Posted on in Business News

With just over six weeks until Christmas, The Times has named what it says are the seven prettiest towns in the UK for Christmas shopping, making special mention of the presence of independent shops to pick up that special Christmas gift.

pretty town

Those making the cut are Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, with special mentions for homeware at Broug’s, designer crafts at Wood & Wire, fair-trade fashion and ethical gifts at Spirals and smellies at the Yorkshire Soap Company.

St Andrews in Fife is praised for its excellent vintage stores and gorgeous bookshops like Topping & Co as well as whisky purveyors, Luvians Bottle Shop; cashmere boutiques like Johnstons of Elgin and suppliers of golfing paraphernalia , The Golf Shop of St Andrews.

Third on the list is Frome in Somerset, which is praised for its “marvellous shopping”. The Times recommends Raves from the Grave record store or the ceramicist-owned Ground for pots and plates.

Cardigan is referenced for its historic shops, with special shout-outs for Tonnau for surf gear, Nant Designs for hand-printed cards and books and Custom House Gallery, which sells works by local artists.

Indie stores that get a special mention in Cambridge include Ark for “gifts for interesting people”, the Cambridge Satchel Company for bags, Serena for jewellery, Laird Hatters for headwear and Lost in Vinyl for records.

The Times piece mentions that there has been a market outside Ludlow Castle since at least 1086 whilst also mentioning Bodenhams for clothes and gifts; Little Twidlets for eco-friendly items; Ludlow Vintage for homeware and The Shop at St Laurence for not-for-profit selling jewellery, toys and more.

The seventh of the seven is Lewes. Highlights include Along Came She, which the article describes as “a cut above your average village womenswear store”; Closet & Botts; Rehab for new and vintage clothing, and From Victoria for botanical gifts.

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