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Bira cautiously welcomes new crime and policing bill to tackle retail crime across high street businesses

26 Feb 2025

ACT parent company Bira has cautiously welcomed Labour's Crime and Policing Bill but is calling for urgent action and immediate funding to address the surge in retail crime affecting independent... Read more…

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.
Read more…

ACT parent company Bira urges Government action as December sales disappoint

23 Jan 2025

ACT parent company Bira is calling for urgent government intervention following disappointing December retail figures, which show sales volumes fell by 0.3% following a modest 0.1% rise in... Read more…

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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Bira comments after BRC release Sensormatic IQ Footfall Monitor Report for December

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

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 continue to rise.

Rain Bench UK

The latest BRC-Sensormatic IQ Footfall Monitor report revealed decreases across most retail locations:

  • Total UK retail footfall decreased by 2.2% (YoY)
  • High Street footfall decreased by 2.7% (YoY)
  • Shopping Centre footfall decreased by 3.3% (YoY)
  • Retail Park footfall remained flat at 0.0% (YoY)
Bira CEO Andrew Goodacre
Bira CEO Andrew Goodacre

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said: "These figures paint a worrying picture of the challenges facing independent retailers. The decline in footfall during the crucial Christmas trading period is particularly concerning, as this is typically when retailers need to generate the revenue that will see them through the quieter months ahead. Looking ahead to 2025, we see little reason for optimism unless the government takes decisive action.

"With retailers facing increases in National Insurance contributions, National Living Wage, and business rates, many independent stores will struggle to maintain viability. We urgently call on the government to reconsider the planned business rates increase for small retailers – this could be the difference between survival and closure for many independents on our high streets."

The challenges currently faced by independent cycling retailers and the bike industry as a whole have also been brought into sharp focus following news of folding bike manufacturer Brompton's sharp decline in profits, falling from £10.7 million to just £4,600 in the year to April 2024. CEO Will Butler-Adams attributed the dramatic fall in profits to lower-than-expected bike sales and delays in cost reductions due to fixed commitments.

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