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Employment Rights Bill - ACT and Bira answer your questions

28 Apr 2025

The Labour Government’s new Employment Rights Bill is set to be in force this year and the new regulations will impact high street retailers up and down the country.
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ACT parent company Bira welcomes Chancellor's action on unfair trade practices

25 Apr 2025

ACT parent company Bira welcomes the Chancellor's announcement of plans to create a level playing field for British businesses against unfair international trade practices.
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ACT parent company Bira responds to Prime Minister's 'Bobbies on the Beat' plan

11 Apr 2025

Bira has cautiously welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement this week on plans to put 'thousands of Bobbies back on the Beat' with a new neighbourhood policing guarantee.
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ACT parent company Bira warns of 'Atrocious April' as shop price inflation rises

1 Apr 2025

Bira has voiced serious concerns over the latest figures from the BRC-NIQ Shop Price Index for March 2025.
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ACT parent company Bira says Spring Statement fails to address high street crisis

26 Mar 2025

ACT parent company Bira has said the Chancellor's Spring Statement delivered today has failed to address the "perfect storm" of cost pressures facing independent retailers across the UK,... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira outlines key priorities ahead of Spring Budget

25 Mar 2025

ACT parent company Bira has outlined its key priorities ahead of the Chancellor's Spring Budget statement.
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Bristol-based cycling charity Life Cycle now offering Cytech training courses

20 Mar 2025

Cytech, the internationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for bicycle mechanics, have partnered with Bristol-based charity Life Cycle to offer a range of bicycle mechanic... Read more…

High street 'death knell' – indie retailers, including cycle shops, shutting doors ahead of April tax rises

12 Mar 2025

Towns and cities across Britain are already seeing a wave of closures as independent businesses shut their doors ahead of April’s triple tax burden, including those in the cycling retail... Read more…

Research shows UK businesses hiring more as consumer confidence lifts

5 Mar 2025

New research has revealed a recent uptick in UK consumer confidence, leading to increased hiring by businesses, with the retail sector responding positively to signs of economic resilience.
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Independent cycle shop becomes first retailer to stock new local bike brand

28 Feb 2025

Independent cycling retailer and ACT member Velo Fit has become the first to stock a new brand of bikes focused on combining quality and affordability.
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GoFundMy Business: The Cash-Strapped Small Business solution?

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

GoFundMe is a crowdfunding website that aims to harness the power of social networking platforms and the internet to give people the means to raise funds, help others overcome hardship, and meet aspirational goals. It is generally known as a way to raise money for high medical bills, funeral costs or natural disaster relief.

However, according to the GoFundMe Chief Executive Rob Solomon, the crowdfunding website has recently been used as a method for small businesses to raise funds that are cash-strapped and struggling. So far campaigns for small businesses have opened across 19 countries, ranging from comic-book shops to drive-in movie theatres.

The crowdfunding website was a great success for Nicky Perry, a small business owner who owns the restaurant Tea & Sympathy and the fish-and-chip shop A Salt & Battery in Greenwich Village. She started the funding because of high rent costs "We just couldn't pay the rent," Ms. Perry said. "The rent is so astronomical."

Ms. Perry said that she had previously tried extensive ways to cut costs, including changing payroll companies, reducing head count and redesigning its menu. The reaction to her fundraiser has been overwhelmingly positive, with loyal customers stopping by the shop more often and neighbours offering to help out by working for free.

Her campaign has so far raised nearly $52,000 toward its $100,000 goal. She has said that she would consider turning to GoFundMe again in the future should the need arise again.

While there have been multiple case studies of this being an effective method for businesses to raise money and has even kept many businesses alive, not all reactions have been positive. 

One comment on The Wall Street Journal said "I don't believe that businesses seeking charity are operating as legitimate businesses.", while another explained their beliefs by saying "The contradiction between feel good funding and feel good regulatory burden is inadequately elucidated."

Similar campaigns have been used for struggling businesses that need help but don't feel comfortable asking customers for donations. Chris Doeblin, owner of an independent bookshop in Manhattan, has recently started a community lending program after competition from Amazon, rising rents, the increasing minimum wage and an inability to borrow money pushed him to the brink of closing.

Mr. Doeblin has raised $600,000, which he plans to repay within five years at 4% interest, which is a far lower rate than he could get elsewhere. The support he has received from loyal customers will help him stock up for the busy Christmas season.

"People are recognizing that there's a big downside to Amazon and buying things online," he said. "I hope it's not too late."

Initiatives such as the Indie Retail Best Small Shops competition help to bring more attention to independent retailers and highlight the central role that they play in building local communities. As this awareness increases more positive articles have begun to emerge, such as recent evidence showing that the 'death of the high street' may be overstated.

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