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Indie Retail Christmas Opening Hours

20 Dec 2023

The Indie Retail office will be open as usual (9am-5pm) for the majority of the Christmas period, with some exceptions.
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Bira CEO addresses surge in retail crime on the BBC

19 Dec 2023

Bira's CEO, Andrew Goodacre, took the spotlight on BBC Breakfast this week and later spoke with Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Live, shedding light on the rise in retail crime and shop theft,... Read more…

Dress shop crowned winner of Cambridge Christmas shop window competition.

18 Dec 2023

Dress shop Pocket Watch & Petticoats in Trinity Street has been crowned the winner in Cambridge BID’s Christmas window competition.
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Bira issues guide to protecting yourself against festive cyber scams

18 Dec 2023

In the age of online shopping, the pursuit of the best deals during the festive season is increasingly common. However, as consumers flock to virtual marketplaces, cybercriminals are seizing the... Read more…

Shoplifting now among the most common crime against small firms

18 Dec 2023

Fresh evidence about the increasing problem of thefts from shops has been revealed amid a warning that organised shoplifting is now among the most common type of crimes against small firms.
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Oldest record shop in Liverpool reopens with museum to celebrate city's musical heritage.

18 Dec 2023

One of the North West’s oldest record shops has reopened after 14 months, creating a small museum to pay tribute to its long-standing musical connections with the city.
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Indie jewellery retailer creates unique gold ‘Key Ring’ for new ITVX series

6 Dec 2023

Bristol and Cirencester-based bespoke fine jewellery retailer Titcombe Bespoke Jewellery, a member of the National Association of Jewellers, has received one of its most unusual commissions... Read more…

Family-owned butcher’s shop hopes 'Mary' will help Wigan families in need of food.

6 Dec 2023

Reynolds’ Butchers in Parbold, near Wigan, have set up a scheme called Mary’s Mince to help people living in the village.
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American Express Shop Small Highlights UK’s Top High Streets for Independent Shops

5 Dec 2023

Research commissioned by American Express Shop Small reveals the top 10 high streets for independent shops in the UK, shining a light on the nation’s small businesses that play... Read more…

Trade organisations call on PCCs to act on local crime as retailers report record theft

5 Dec 2023

A new campaign is calling on police & crime commissioners to tackle crime on a local level, as theft against convenience retailers reaches record highs.
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Family-owned butcher’s shop hopes 'Mary' will help Wigan families in need of food.

Posted on in Business News

Reynolds’ Butchers in Parbold, near Wigan, have set up a scheme called Mary’s Mince to help people living in the village.

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They wanted to do something to support customers during the cost-of-living crisis but did not know how to do it as they felt there was still a sense of embarrassment for some people when it comes to asking for a helping hand.

They came up with Mary’s Mince, which sees customers go into the shop and pay for a bag of mince for “Mary” – a fictional person who is, in fact, another customer who needs it.

Alternatively, they can pick up the mince to “deliver to Mary” if they need the meat themselves.

Helen Reynolds, who runs the butchers with her husband Tony, said: “We don’t ask any questions or who it’s for, because she’s a fiction. It's a way of taking away a little bit of embarrassment from asking. Community really matters to us and we all care about each other.”

A lot of regular customers will put money aside to contribute to the bank of meat, making sure there is enough available so it can be given to anyone who needs it.

The initiative has taken off and Helen is already in talks with Beacon Crossing – a nearby retirement home – to give any meat left at the end of the day for residents there to use.

Helen hopes people in the area will step forward to ask for the meat.

She said: “We want to encourage people not to feel shy about it – there are lots of struggling families out there.

"When we were in lockdown, we did something similar for families who had recently moved to the area and were starting with nothing.

"We like to do this where we can, to help people who are struggling and give them a lift especially this time of year. When you’re lucky enough to have a lot of food in the cupboard you’re alright but there are a lot of people not in the same situation.”

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