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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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Seaside town bucks the trend with indie retail thriving

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

Weston-super-Mare seems to be one town in the UK bucking the national trend, with new shops opening and businesses reporting an increase in trade, according to a report by Bristol Live.

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The bike hub has seen local e-bike retailer UFO grow their well-known local business and expand into an additional space and now offers a bike hire scheme for visitors and residents. Popular Bristol based coffee business, Can’t Dance Coffee, has also expanded, bringing its coffee and baked delights to what was previously the Food Court.

Traders in The Sovereign say they have seen an increase in footfall over the past few months - some which has been attributed to the additional 500,000 visitors coming to Weston-super-Mare .

The Sovereign manager Alan Smith said the centre offered a good retail mix.
“Moving away from just mainstream retailers is essential for the continued growth of The Sovereign. Thanks to the support of the local community we can grow and bring more local retailers."
Other new businesses have sprung up in Weston High Street over the last year, including Imagination Fascination play centre, Maxxisave in the former Argos store and the Captain Kandy sweet shop on the High Street. Orchard Meadows has also welcomed some new faces including Vintage Abs clothes shop and Christopher’s Chocolates.

Although Weston does still have several empty shops, retailers said its future is looking good. Weston BID chairman and town centre trader Paul Batts said: “We have a really good selection of independent shops, especially in Grove Village and Orchard Meadows.
 
“We have also seen new, specialist and unique businesses opening in our areas and in the High Street in some of the smaller units. We are noticing post pandemic that people are more interested in supporting their local independent shops and our independent offering in Weston is getting stronger and stronger, making it a great shopping destination all year round.”

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