{$inpagemarkup}

Search News

Results: 1-10 of 650


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.
Read more…

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.
Read more…

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.
Read more…

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…

Back to news menu

Ipswich shows innovation in aims to become 'UK's first 15-minute' town

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

Ipswich haFemale cyclist in park unveiled a bold plan to become the UK's first "15-minute" town in a "post-Covid world".

The plans would reshape the Suffolk town as more of a neighbourhood than a shopping destination with more housing, green spaces, schools and recreation.

The "15-minute city" concept was developed by Professor Carlos Moreno at the Sorbonne in Paris.

His concept is to improve quality of life by creating cities where everything a resident needs can be reached within a quarter of an hour by foot or bike. Once again, this would prove the essential role that bike shops play in our societies, as they have during the duration of the pandemic.

Ipswich Central said the proposals were "ahead of the game".

Terry Baxter, chairman of the town's Business Improvement District (Bid), said: "This is a bold plan which recognises that in the new, post-Covid world, our town centre will need to rely less upon retail and develop a new purpose as a place to live and visit.

"This new strategy for Ipswich commits to many more people living centrally and having around them all that they will need to live their lives locally.

"It is exceptionally ambitious and demonstrates that, once again, we are ahead of the game."

The plan for Ipswich to take on board the concept has been put together by Ipswich Vision, a partnership between organisations including Ipswich Central, the borough council, county council and Suffolk Chamber of Commerce.

Mr Baxter said they had also received a £25m grant from the government's Town Fund. Prof Dave Muller, chairman of All About Ipswich, the tourism website for the town, said: "The leisure, entertainment and hospitality sectors have been hard hit by the pandemic.

"But, as businesses in and around the town start to reopen, they will recognise that this plan will help to define Ipswich as an accessible, convenient and connected place to visit and stay."

 

Back to news menu

Useful links

If you have any other queries please contact us.