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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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Bira CEO addresses surge in retail crime on the BBC

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

Bira's CEO, Andrew Goodacre, took the spotlight on BBC Breakfast this week and later spoke with Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Live, shedding light on the rise in retail crime and shop theft, particularly affecting independent retailers nationwide.

Andrew Goodacre

On BBC Breakfast, Mr Goodacre discussed the alarming impact of increasing retail crime on independent businesses. He highlighted the vulnerability of smaller retailers facing challenges that include not only financial losses but also the emotional toll on business owners.

"There is a fear, a real fear among large and small retailers that this problem could get bigger towards the end of the year." expressed Mr Goodacre.

During the interview, he shared insights into the lack of confidence in the police regarding retail crime affecting independent retailers, from shoplifting to vandalism.

"There is a real lack of confidence in police actions on those (types of incidents). Over the years there has been a real trend in people taking from shops being treated as a low priority and now we're paying the penalty for that," he said.

Later in the morning, he continued the conversation on BBC Radio 5 Live with Nicky Campbell. The radio interview delved deeper into the root causes of the surge in retail crime and explored potential solutions to safeguard independent retailers:

"This is a problem for large and small retail, there's no doubt that the cost of security people on doors is something that small retailers would struggle to afford. They employ more staff to keep an eye on stock and retailers are careful where they place their stock as well," he added.

 

"Some of the larger retailers have contributed around £800,000 to form a task force in Lyme with the Police and Crime Commissioners, looking at the role of organised crime and looking to dismantle that role, hopefully. We do know that the Government are prioritising this with the police forces as well, so there is action.  All that takes time and it's time that sometimes businesses don't have because they're affected by this every day.”

You can view the BBC Breakfast interview on catchup here and listen to the BBC Radio 5 Live interview here.

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