This is a trade facing website. Visit the ACT's consumer site thecyclingexperts.co.uk for information and advice on cycling and find your local independent cycle retailer.

Search News

Results: 1-10 of 818


29 Oct 2026

The E-Bike Summit will return to London on 26 April 2027, with the E-Bike Positive campaign, co-managed by the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) and the Bicycle Association (BA), confirmed as a...

28 Oct 2026

ACT parent company, Bira's CEO Andrew Goodacre has hailed the Budget’s business rates announcements as a win for independent retailers.

28 Oct 2026

Cytech technical three, the highest attainable qualification in professional cycle maintenance within the Cytech syllabus, is now available through training provider Life Cycle.

27 Oct 2026

A leading criminologist has warned that shop thieves are now stealing to order, with demand for stolen goods driving the crime.

27 Oct 2026

A new advice article from Cycling Electric editor Mark Sutton looks at the pitfalls consumers can face when buying an e-bike through mass online marketplaces such as...

26 Oct 2026

A health food shop barely a year old has beaten a record field of nominations to be named high street shop of the year.

26 Oct 2026

A new survey of food delivery riders has highlighted the extent to which modified and converted e-bikes are being used in the gig economy, alongside gaps in riders’...

26 Oct 2026

A Cycling UK-led campaign against Merseyrail’s proposed ban on non-folding e-bikes is gathering momentum, with the organisation urging riders and supporters to...

22 Oct 2026

Bira is urging businesses of all sizes to check their websites are protected, following a warning about a critical security flaw affecting PHP.

21 Oct 2026

Independent retailers, including cycle shops and IBDs, face a looming cost crisis unless the Chancellor acts in the Budget, ACT parent company Bira has warned.

Back to news menu

How the ACT's Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC) membership will benefit IBDs

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

IRC full logoThe ACT has recently restructured to align itself even more closely with the partner organisations that make up the Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC).

For over two decades the ACT has worked with the IRC representing the interests of well over 100,000 specialist retailers; over recent months the challenges we have all faced together has underwritten the value of that partnership, even more so as we look towards the future of the high street.

What the IRC brings the IBD:

  • Unrivalled access to Government on business matters impacting speciality retail
  • Extensive and ever increasing engagement opportunities with the public/new customers
  • A width of knowledge and experience in delivering business support across multiple sectors, high streets and shopping parades throughout the UK
  • Increased buying power and influence with commercial, Government and national agencies
  • Information, advice and best practice standards for Indie Retail
  • IRC meets every fortnight to discuss and co-ordinate action on issues impacting Indie Retail
  • The opportunity to rebuild the high street together for the future
  • Organises the Government recognised Best Small Shops competition that celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of independent retailers
The new membership structure will allow all businesses to embrace the ACT as their trade body; more accessible to any business who can benefit from a selection of services free of charge. Participants at every level will benefit from extended business support with new services being added to the portfolio alongside a reduced pricing structure to cater for all. 
 
The restructure means that full annual ACT membership is now available for £60p.a. the equivalent of just £5p.m.
 
To learn more about the ACT's restructure and new and improved pricing read the ACT brochure or click on the link below to join the ACT now.
 
 
 

Back to news menu

Useful links

If you have any other queries please contact us.