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Bira warns of 'troubled times ahead' despite interest rate cut

7 Feb 2025

ACT parent company Bira has warned that retailers across Britain face troubled times ahead despite today's Bank of England interest rate cut to 4.5%, as the Bank halves its growth forecast for... Read more…

Free webinar exclusive to ACT members on employment law compliance

4 Feb 2025

The ACT and legal partner WorkNest are hosting an exclusive webinar on how to remain compliant with employment law while making necessary business changes.
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ACT parent company Bira urges Government action as December sales disappoint

23 Jan 2025

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ACT announces new partnership with legal specialists WorkNest

17 Jan 2025

The ACT has teamed up with employment law, HR, and health and safety experts WorkNest as the association's new legal partner.
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Bira comments after BRC release Sensormatic IQ Footfall Monitor Report for December

9 Jan 2025

ACT parent company Bira has warned that disappointing footfall figures for December show mounting pressures on independent retailers, with concerning implications for 2025 as business costs... Read more…

2024 year in review: A message from ACT Director Jonathan Harrison

18 Dec 2024

Director of the ACT Jonathan Harrison has praised the "resilience and adaptability" of the ACT and its members in an end of year message.
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Practical steps to prevent credit card and payment fraud as an independent cycling retailer

4 Dec 2024

As credit card fraud becomes increasingly sophisticated, taking these steps could help you stay ahead of the fraudsters…
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Scottish retailers call for urgent business rates support as gap widens with rest of UK

29 Nov 2024

Scottish independent retailers, including those in the cycling sector, are urging the Scottish Government to provide crucial business rates relief in its upcoming budget, as the disparity in... Read more…

Bira and ACT welcome new House of Lords report on high street regeneration

28 Nov 2024

Independent retailers back call for local leadership and simplified funding.
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Seven-in-ten cycle traders boycott Black Friday as cost pressures mount

26 Nov 2024

Seven in ten cycle retailers across the UK will boycott this year's Black Friday sales event, according to a survey of the bicycle trade by the ACT.
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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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