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Three quarters don’t expect police to bother investigating bike thefts

4 Oct 2022

More than three quarters of British people do not believe the police would bother to investigate instances of bicycle theft, a new YouGov survey has found.
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Paper £20 and £50 Notes No Longer Legal Tender

4 Oct 2022

Paper £20 and £50 notes are no longer legal tender.
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Indie retailers doubt Liz Truss will help the high street

29 Sep 2022

New research from Ankorstore, an online B2B platform that connects brands and shops in Europe, has shown that independent retailers are relying on the support of local shoppers, rather than the... Read more…

Retail industry reacts to Chancellor’s mini budget

26 Sep 2022

Following the Chancellor’s mini-budget last week, the retail industry has been reacting to the support package for small businesses and independent shops….including some of the... Read more…

Indie Bookshops gear up for Bookshop Day

26 Sep 2022

Bookshop Day – the annual celebration of bookshops big and small taking place across the UK and Ireland – is coming up on Saturday 8 October and in many parts of the country plans... Read more…

Indie Retail welcomes government support for business energy bills

21 Sep 2022

Indie Retail has welcomed the government’s announcement that it will be funding support for business energy bills over the next six months.
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Business toolkit for Her Majesty's mourning

15 Sep 2022

BIES Retail has created a visual toolkit for all organisations, and the public sector during this time of mourning to show the country speaking with one voice of unity.
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Scots butcher shop loved by Royals recalls 'cheery' Queen

14 Sep 2022

The owner of a butcher ‘s shop in Ballater, Aberdeenshire has told the Daily Record of his shock at the death of the Queen, who was an often-seen figure in the town near Balmoral.
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£14 for a latte could become a reality, warn coffee shop owners

12 Sep 2022

The owners of a coffee shop in Kent have wanted that they may need to increase the price of coffees to £14 each to meet their rising energy costs.
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More than a third of business leaders would vote against UK ‘switch off’ law for employees

12 Sep 2022

Over a third of business leaders have said they would vote against the introduction of a law in the UK that would protect an employee’s right ‘to switch off’, similar to the... Read more…

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GPs to prescribe cycling to help improve mental & physical health

Posted on in Cycles News, Outdoor News

The Department for Transport has announced a £12.7m trial to begin later this year, in which GPs in England will be able to prescribe walking or cycling as a way of improving mental and physical health and easing the burden on the NHS.

Initially 11 places will receive funding for doctors are to start "social prescription" pilots. The plan aims to reduce GP appointments and people's reliance on medication. The pilots run until 2025 in Bradford, Leeds, Doncaster, Cumbria, Gateshead, Nottingham, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Plymouth, Cornwall, Bath and NE Somerset.

The new Gear Change Plan pilots would be "hugely beneficial" to overall mental and physical health, said the DfT. The pilots will include adult cycle training for all abilities, plus more walking groups for exercise and mental health. Free bike loans will be offered.

Walking and cycling minister Trudy Harrison said more cycling and walking would "ease the burden on our NHS" as well as "improving air quality and reducing congestion".

The government said the authorities must also improve infrastructure, so people felt safe walking and cycling.

"We need healthier, cheaper and more pleasant ways to get around for everyday trips," he said cyclist Chris Boardman, commissioner of National Active Travel, a government agency set up to improve the UK's cycling and walking infrastructure.

"Moving more will lead to a healthier nation, a reduced burden on the NHS, less cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and huge cost savings."

However, while GPs agree the pilot funding is "great news", with obesity a risk factor for Type-2 diabetes, cancers, liver and respiratory disease, some say overstretched surgeries cannot take on even more work created by the pilots.

"Should GPs refer people to these schemes, or should they look after sick people?" asked Doncaster GP Dr Dean Eggitt.  "We don't have capacity for both."

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