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1 May 2024

Small shops have been more "agile" at fighting COVID sale slumps than chain stores, according to a new report.

29 Apr 2024

A Peterborough store stocking products solely from local entrepreneurs said it is bucking the High Street trend and looking to expand due to its success.

29 Apr 2024

BIRA is giving independent businesses across the UK a powerful new resource with the launch of its “High Street Matters” podcast.

29 Apr 2024

The Guardian has reported independent shopkeepers saying prices they pay at Tesco’s cash-and-carry arm Booker are often higher than in Tesco’s stores.

18 Apr 2024

Independent record stores around the country are preparing to celebrate all things vinyl for this year’s Record Store Day on Saturday April 20th. 

18 Apr 2024

BIRA, the British Independent Retailers Association, has announced its partnership with this year’s SME National Business Awards., joining the 2024 awards as a leading sponsor, backing...

18 Apr 2024

A Midlands fish and chip shop is celebrating 40 years in business and offering half-price chips to mark the milestone.

18 Apr 2024

Assaulting a shop worker is to be made a separate criminal offence in England and Wales as part of a government response to a wave of retail crime. 

18 Apr 2024

Eleven new businesses that have opened in the last year in the historic arcades of Cardiff city centre’s Morgan Quarter, made up of the Morgan and Royal arcades, have helped the arcades...

15 Apr 2024

The Rediscovery Centre, the National Centre for the Circular Economy in Ireland, today announced its partnership with Cytech, the internationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for...

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ActSmart COVID-19 Reopening Resources and Guidance

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on the 25th May that non-essential retailers will be able to reopen stores in England from June 15 as long as social distancing measures are implemented. 

Since then retailers across the UK have been preparing to reopen their doors for the first time in nearly 3 months. To help businesses with this ActSmart have created a guidance document for shops that are now reopening after previously closing. The aim of the document is to enable retailers to operate efficiently while implementing social distancing and other safety measures with various advice and resources.

There is no question that the lockdown will change the way that consumers shop in the long-term. Research suggest that customers now place a higher value on customer service than they did before COVID-19, but that they still may feel uncomfortable physically visiting many shops for a long-time as of yet. While we have seen a great shift towards online shopping over the last few months, it is now time to start planning for customers walking through high-street doors once again from the 15th June.

Download the ActSmart COVID-19 Reopening Resources and Guidance Document

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