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Update on Campaigns & Lobbying work from Bira CEO, Andrew Goodacre
It's another busy month of campaign work, including:
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Meeting with the Business Minister to discuss challenges on the high street and how best to support indie retailers. A positive discussion, although actions will speak louder than words.
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Ongoing discussions with Treasury about the proposed reform of business rates. We are pushing for more generous rates reliefs for the smaller retailers.
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Retail crime continues to receive lots of media coverage due to recent figures that showed a significant increase in incidents in 2024. We now think that the value of stolen goods is in excess of £2 billion per annum across the retail sector. It is also thought that the cost of dealing with the crime is adding £133 to the average shopping bill per annum. So we are all paying for this crime epidemic.
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Discussions with the Law Commission to look at ways of changing the 1954 Landlord and Tenant Act – the main laws governing the commercial leases. We are pushing to give tenants stronger security of tenure so that they can manage the business with more certainty.
Bira is at the forefront of championing the cause of independent traders and shopkeepers across Britain.
With a dedicated focus on revitalising and preserving the high street, our advocacy takes our collective voice to the halls of Parliament and into discussions with key stakeholders. Our campaigns cover a wide spectrum of issues crucial to the success of independent traders including:
- Combatting the rising tide of retail crime
- Advocating for changes in legislation that promote fairness and flexibility
- Fighting for fairer business rates
- Overall reducing the regulatory burden
- £1 billion damages claim against Amazon by UK retailers
Through our efforts, we strive to ensure that the heartbeat of our communities, the high street, continues to thrive and serve as a vibrant hub for local businesses.
Click on the topics below to find out our latest activity in each area
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