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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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Bira welcomes recent Bank of England interest rate cut

14 Aug 2024

The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has welcomed the Bank of England’s recent decision to cut interest rates from 5.25% to 5%.
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Community rallies around shop owner’s appeal after ‘devastating’ break-in

14 Aug 2024

A shop owner in Bramley, West Leeds, has thanked kind-hearted members of the community after her shop was targeted by burglars.
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National and local governments called on to invest in the repair of the retail sector after recent riots.

14 Aug 2024

The recent wave of civil unrest in the has dealt a severe blow to the UK retail sector, with high-street stalwarts and independent stores alike bearing the brunt of the violence.
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The Ice Cream of the Crop on Merseyside wins two more awards

Posted on in Business News

A family-run business that "people come from everywhere" to visit has won two awards. John Hughes is the proud owner of West Kirby's Ice Cream Shop which specialises in creating every flavour of ice cream imaginable, from bacon and maple syrup flavours to Cornish tea.

Ice cream

The Ice Cream Shop opened on Grange Road in 2020 during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Today, the shop attracts lengthy queues of customers throughout the year, with people travelling from all over the region for a taste of something new.

The store has become so popular it recently picked up two major awards. John has been honoured with Family Business of the Year and Newcomer Family Business with the Business Awards UK. His wife Diane, who works alongside John to manage the shop, has also been nominated for the Women's Business Awards.

John recently told the Liverpool Echo: "We're absolutely thrilled. They just came out of the blue. Everything that's happened has come off the back of the community and everyone's support. In the last year, it's really exploded. People are coming from everywhere to see us. We just can't believe it and we want to thank everyone for everything they've done to support us."

The road to becoming ice cream's answer to Willy Wonka has been a challenging one, but the initial inspiration for the family business came after John and Diane holidayed in Cyprus. It was on holiday that the couple stumbled across "a little old lady who had a 23-scoop freezer."

John said: "We noticed a little run-down shack with shutters and in it was this old lady selling ice cream. She had a huge selection to choose from and she seemed so content running a business out of what was essentially nothing. I turned to Diane, and I said, 'I could do that'. Now, I'm doing what I call "supermarket ice cream" to see which would make good flavours."

The challenge isn't locked to any specific unique flavour or combination; if you want it, John will make it. He added: "Companies have been coming to us and asking us to make this and that. We've made everything from breakfast cereal ice cream to bacon. We're more successful now than before we closed and by four o'clock on the weekend, the cabinet is empty."

John admitted the business takes more time away from his children than he'd like but they can't get enough of what their dad is creating. A special flavour, Auntie Nita's Cornish tea, made from clotted cream and jam, was also created as a tribute to his sister, Anita, who passed away. John said: "The family all love what I'm doing. It's hard sometimes not seeing people as much as I'd like but they know I'm doing what I love, and they all support me so much."

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