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Local crafters band together to sell handmade goods in new shop

17 Sep 2024

A group of crafters have banded together to open a new store in Wickham, Hampshire selling their own handmade goods.
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New data - pharmacies, pubs and banks made up half of the closures on Britain's High Streets in the first six months of 2024.

17 Sep 2024

New data has revealed that a total of 6,945 stores have closed so far in 2024 - the equivalent of 38 shops per day, although if you balance this with new store openings, there's only a net... Read more…

Town becomes hotspot for Taylor Swift fans with themed cafe and shop.

17 Sep 2024

Nestled in the Anglesey community of Beaumaris, a shop and café have built their business around all things Taylor Swift, and fans seem to love it. The Mock Turtle in Beaumaris,... Read more…

Investment in convenience sector hits record high of £1bn

17 Sep 2024

Over the last year, convenience retailers have spent a combined £1bn (up from £646m in the previous 12 months) refitting their stores, installing new energy efficient refrigeration... Read more…

Bira responds cautiously to encouraging trends in KPMG Retail Sales Monitor report.

3 Sep 2024

The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has responded to the BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor for August 2024. The report, which can be downloaded here, has highlighted:
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Pet Shop owner nominated for award for food bank donations

2 Sep 2024

Rebecca Harrington, owner of Purdy's pet shop in Coventry, has been nominated in the animal category at BBC CWR's Make a Difference awards for providing pet food parcels to food banks
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Standardised witness statement developed for retailers submitting CCTV evidence to the polic

2 Sep 2024

The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC), in collaboration with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and police forces, has developed a standardised witness statement for retailers submitting... Read more…

Sheffield’s new independent retail hub opens to the public

2 Sep 2024

A redeveloped Grade II* Listed hub in Sheffield has opened its doors to the public for the first time, providing a contemporary city centre hub for some of the city’s finest... Read more…

Government urged to protect independent retailers as part of living wage increases

2 Sep 2024

The national president of the Federation of Independent Retailers has written to the new secretary of state for business and trade, Jonathan Reynolds, to highlight the impact of higher wages on... Read more…

Barbers to test blood pressure to fight inequality

2 Sep 2024

Two barber shops in south London are offering customers free blood pressure tests to tackle undiagnosed health issues amongst black and Asian men.
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Government urged to protect independent retailers as part of living wage increases

Posted on in Business News

The national president of the Federation of Independent Retailers has written to the new secretary of state for business and trade, Jonathan Reynolds, to highlight the impact of higher wages on smaller businesses.

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In his letter, Mo Razzaq said the Fed recognises the importance of providing a living wage for those who work in our shops and ensuring that staff receive a fair wage for their work.

“We fully support the minimum wage the Labour government introduced in 1999 and its development into the Living Wage we have today,” Razzaq wrote.

“However, we also encourage you to carefully consider the impact of higher wages on independent businesses in the months and years ahead so that our members can continue to thrive.

“As you will be aware, our shops are faced with rising energy costs and competition from larger supermarkets – leaving many of our members to actually pay themselves less than the living wage.

“Furthermore, many of their goods tend to be price marked, meaning they are unable to increase prices to cover additional payrolls costs, which also include National Insurance and pension contributions.

“As always, we feel that there is a valuable balance to be struck between the welfare of employees and the vital sustainability of our smaller shops, so wages can be afforded and paid in the first place.”

Razzaq also expressed concerns about equalising the minimum wage across all age ranges, as paying a lower wage for young, inexperienced workers reflects the additional investment in training that they need and allows shops to be able to afford to employ vital younger staff as needed.

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