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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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New stores helping Cardiff arcades buck retail trends.

Posted on in Business News

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 buck the retail trend.

Maple  & Bean

Image - facebook.com/MorganQuarter

So far, in 2024, popular doughnut shop, Whocult and independent café Maple & Bean, have become the latest additions to the Morgan Quarter with UK-wide restaurant, Coppa Club, soon to join them.

The openings of these businesses along with the likes of Lucy & Yak, Astrid & Miyu and Beyond Retro has led to a steep increase in footfall – going against the national retail trend.

A recent study, by the Welsh Retail Consortium, found Wales to have seen the biggest decline of retail footfall of any nation in the UK with shopping numbers declining 8% on a year earlier and 4% compared to January.

Despite these numbers, the Morgan Quarter is bucking the national trend when it comes to retail footfall statistics.

In March, the Morgan Quarter observed a 62% increase in footfall compared to the previous year – with the first week of the month seeing over 100,000 visitors across the two arcades.

The familiar shopping destination for Cardiff residents and visitors is currently at 97% capacity, with 61/63 units being filled.

The ongoing success of these two arcades can be credited to the range of independent shops and larger brands all available under one roof.

Marika Jones, centre manager at Morgan Quarter said, “We are delighted to see a wide range of stores choosing to open in the Morgan Quarter.

“There is a distinct sense of community among the businesses here. Everyone wishes success on each other to encourage people into these special arcades.”

The Morgan Quarter is open seven days a week between 8am-6pm Monday to Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday.

For more information go to morganquarter.co.uk

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