- Published
- 16 Jun 2013
Rates reform gains momentum...
Latest News
-
Rates reform gains momentum
-
New rules for consumer rights
- Published
- 17 Jun 2013
Clarity and consistency in a complex area, consumer rights, are the aims of a new piece of legislation which is expected to be law next year....
-
It pays to take part
- Published
- 10 Jun 2013
It pays to take part...
-
BAGMA at the Royal Highland Show
- Published
- 03 Jun 2013
Contributing to almost £100 million to the Scottish economy each year, the Royal Highland Show is an important business platform....
-
Is High Street decline inevitable? asks bira
- Published
- 29 May 2013
Is High Street decline inevitable? asks bira...
-
Stardom calls?
- Published
- 22 May 2013
bira would like to bring these rather more positive opportunities to your attention....
-
Select Committee begins work on retail inquiry
- Published
- 22 May 2013
Business Rates and Parking are on the agenda for the BIS Select Committee Inquiry into retail, which has begun taking oral evidence....
-
6-week countdown to Independent Retailer Month
- Published
- 20 May 2013
Monday begins the 6-week countdown to Independent Retailer Month. This is a great opportunity for individual retailers, groups, or whole towns to create fun and engaging promotions, activities and events that will attract new and existing customers into the store, and the area, to celebrate their lo...
-
New consumer law in view
- Published
- 08 May 2013
New consumer rights bill announced...
-
Seven towns share £1 million prize
- Published
- 07 May 2013
Seven towns are to receive a share of the £1 million High Street Renewal Award....
-
Stormy Weather - Independent Retailers find weather inclement
- Published
- 22 Apr 2013
The story of the first quarter of 2013 was in the comments left by members as much as in the numbers collected in the survey: 39 of the 72 comments included the word "Weather". In common with most of retail the majority of respondents describe very inclement conditions for trade....
-
Spring sprung?
- Published
- 01 Apr 2013
It's time for independents to tell the world how trade has been in the first quarter of 2013 and this is your chance to add your voice to the conversation - the bira quarterly sales monitor is back for more....
-
HMRC relaxes reporting requirements in nick of time
- Published
- 25 Mar 2013
HM Revenue & Customs have recognised that some of the many hundred of thousands of small employers paying employees weekly or more frequently such as small shops, but which only process their payroll monthly may need a bit more time to adapt to reporting PAYE information in real time , so it has...
-
BAGMA Young Employee of the Year
- Published
- 22 Mar 2013
AssetAltText
... -
Chancellor delivers on two out of three bira suggestions for the Budget.
- Published
- 20 Mar 2013
Chancellor delivers on two out of three bira suggestions for the Budget but turns screw on high street...
-
Storm Warning
- Published
- 01 Mar 2013
Independent shops are no longer opening at a faster rate than they areclosing. The high street vacancy rate is going to rise sharply....
-
All shopped out? How shopping centres hit the skids
- Published
- 19 Feb 2013
Newly published research from the Local Data Company has revealed the surprising fact that the high street locations of the country do not have the worst vacancy rate - shopping centres do. The latest report on 1914 locations and 278,915 retail and leisure properties shows that while the vacancy rat...
-
bira Board Member Elections 2013
- Published
- 20 Feb 2013
This year it is proposed that two places on the bira Board of Management will be filled by candidates elected by the membership. Each retail member can vote for their two preferred candidates. ...
-
Three steps to a rates freeze
- Published
- 05 Feb 2013
The government seems determined to press ahead with the damaging 2.6% April increase in business rates, which will add another painful £175 million to high street costs, taking it to over half a billion extra in just two years, at a time when consumer spending is severely constrained, turnover is u...
-
Vote for your bira direct Supplier of the Year 2013
- Published
- 01 Feb 2013
Please click here to visit the Supplier Awards website. ...
-
High Noon on the High Street
- Published
- 31 Jan 2013
The keynote speaker will be Kate Hardcastle, the “Queen of Customer Service”. Kate is one of the most respected and in-demand retail experts in the UK, having appeared - in 2012 alone – on BBC, ITV and Sky News as a valued contributor to the High Street debate. She has also formed her own busi...
-
Tough 2012 - better 2013?
- Published
- 29 Jan 2013
2012 ended as a tough year for independents ....
-
Jean Garforth - sadly missed
- Published
- 29 Jan 2013
It is with great sadness that the Association learned of the death of Jean Garforth,who sadly passed away in January 2013. Jean was a staunch BHF and birasupporter....
-
bira kicks off New Year in the news
- Published
- 09 Jan 2013
January has already been busy for bira in the media. This week Michael Weedon, Communications Director appeared on BBC breakfast talking about independents in Totnes and why the public should consider shopping at independent businesses....
-
"Ho Ho Ho" or "Uh-oh!" at Christmas?
- Published
- 01 Jan 2013
2012 was a hard year for retail, with some seriously large retailers falling victim to problems with turnover, footfall, debt and credit insurance. The big outfits are working on their last quarter, particularly Christmas trading statements and the media and government will be paying great attention...
-
John Poore named in New Years Honours List
- Published
- 29 Dec 2012
John Poore has been honoured with the British Empire Medal for his ceaseless work for charity in the Queen's New Year's Honours list....
-
My New Year's Resolution is...
- Published
- 18 Dec 2012
Firstly, a happy Christmas and prosperous new year to you. A quite normal greeting at this time of the year but on the business front do we have a positive feel at present!...
-
Be prepared to party
- Published
- 11 Dec 2012
bira legal offers some seasonal advice to members who may be organising their staff Christmas party: ...
-
Big names lend their support to High Street Conference
- Published
- 11 Dec 2012
Culpitt, Draper Tools, Sterling Locks and Everbuild have all shown their support of bira and the upcoming High Street Conference and Gala Awards, taking place at the Four Pillars Hotel, Cotswold Water Park on16th May 2013, by sponsoring the event. ...
-
bira response to Autumn Statement 2012
- Published
- 05 Dec 2012
Small shops have been sorely disappointed by the Chancellor's decision to crank up business rates in 2013, making for a third year of rising retail costs against static or falling income. The one year extension to the small business rate relief scheme is a small consolation but will affect very few ...
-
Small shops say rates rise will damage business
- Published
- 03 Dec 2012
bira members, along with those from the BA and RETRA have made is plain that next year's increase in business will damage their businesses, putting greater pressure on the traditional High Street....
-
Independents delivering on hopes for high streets
- Published
- 29 Nov 2012
Independents continue to offer hope to our town centres - and to back up that hope with real business....
-
The Big Ask
- Published
- 25 Nov 2012
The Big Ask...
-
The future of the High Street is uncertain – but the quality of the High Street Conference is not
- Published
- 21 Nov 2012
Key industry figures will challenge theaudience, the cream of UKindependents, with their views on changing consumer habits, retail online,implementing the Portas Report and the future of the High Street. Doubtlessthey will be challenged right back by independents in the discussions thatfollow....
-
Family businesses feeling unloved by Government
- Published
- 13 Nov 2012
A recent study by PricewaterhouseCoopers stated that “Family businesses in the UK have demonstrated solid growth in the last year and are looking to build on this in the coning five years. Yet they continue to feel unloved, saying the government does not recognise their importance to the UK e...
-
You are the champions
- Published
- 13 Nov 2012
You have seen it in ‘The Voice’ and by now you will have received your copy of the bira champion leaflet in Retail Alert....
-
How will the next rates increase affect your business?
- Published
- 11 Nov 2012
How will the government's proposed 2.6% increase in business rates affect your business. 70% of multiples said that it will harm their expansion and cause job losses in existing operations. Independents have yet to have their say....
-
Book Now for Early Bird Discount
- Published
- 15 Nov 2012
Your place at bira's annual National Conference: High Street Conference and Gala Awards 2013, is now available to book at a reduced Early Bird rate for a limited time only. ...
-
bira Community Awards 2013 - Nominations Now Open
- Published
- 26 Nov 2012
Please click here to visit the Community Awards website. ...
-
Freeze Business Rates Increase
- Published
- 06 Nov 2012
We hope that you have signed the petition in support of the Fair Rates for Retail campaign, organised by the BRC and Retail Week, which now has over 800 signatories....