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9 Jul 2025

A recent BBC Breakfast segment has sparked backlash from the cycling community over its portrayal of e-bikes, with critics accusing the broadcaster of conflating legal e-bikes with illegal,...

8 Jul 2025

More than 30 locations across Scotland have seen a major rise in the number of people cycling, according to newly released data.

7 Jul 2025

Sixteen illegally upgraded e-bikes capable of speeds up to 40mph have been seized and disposed of in a joint enforcement operation in Birmingham city centre.

7 Jul 2025

Bristol-based Cytech training provider and ACT member Life Cycle has launched its award-winning Bikes Beyond Bars programme at HMP Bullingdon, expanding a project that has already impacted lives...

4 Jul 2025

New data from Strava reveals a major surge in cycling across the UK, with Gen Z and Millennials leading the charge.

3 Jul 2025

Shimano has launched an urgent investigation into what it describes as a “critical” shortage of skilled bike mechanics across Europe, warning that the situation threatens to...

2 Jul 2025

MPs have called on Amazon and eBay to tighten controls after e-bikes and chargers flagged as serious fire risks were found for sale on their platforms.

25 Jun 2025

The E-Bike Positive campaign has seen major success in the first half of 2025, with its message reaching nearly 8 million people across the UK through high-profile media coverage and growing...

20 Jun 2025

The House of Commons Business and Trade Committee has asked the ACT, and its parent company Bira, to help them reach out to small business retailers across the country, for their quick input on...

20 Jun 2025

Activate Cycle Academy has reopened its Cytech training facility in Darlington, offering a full range of courses from Home Mechanic up to Cytech Technical Three.
 

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Independents' Day UK campaign to culminate in full weekend celebration of indie retail sector across 3/4 July

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

IndSalisbury high streetependents' Day UK, an initiative that emphasises driving footfall to independent shops on July 4th each year - has announced that for the first time, it will culminate in a full weekend of celebrations highlighting Britain's indie retailers, across Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th of July.

The campaign's organisers are asking consumers to "pledge a few pounds" to independent retailers, by spending at indies across the weekend. Independents' Day UK will be sponsored by Local Rewards, a programme developed by social media specialists, Maybe* Tech, which allows retailers to communicate with and reward shoppers - and is now live across hundreds of towns and cities across the UK.

Howard Robinson, a spokesperson for Independents' Day UK, commented: "The British independent retail sector has shown real resilience in the face of the Covid crisis across the last year, operating through extreme uncertainty and putting on a brave face for their customers and wider communities.

"We are asking the public to show their thanks by simply heading out across the weekend of July 3rd and 4th and spending a few pounds at a independent, or locally-owned retailers."

Independents' Day UK is supported by and works closely with, among others, the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira), the Independent Retail Confedration (IRC) and the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM).

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira said, "Independents Day will soon be with us again - this time better and over a whole weekend. This year is probably the most important year for indie retail, as businesses look to rebuild following the pandemic.

"The money spent in local, independent shops makes a real difference to business owners and the local economy, so it would be great if the general public could support this campaign and spend at independents."

The campaign team estimates that last year, over 8,500 small shops across the UK engaged with the campaign - and is hoping that figure will reach at least 20,000 this year. Around 100 different town management teams, business improvement districts (BIDs), chambers of commerce and local business groups across the country participated in initiatives to promote the day.

This year's initiative, is sponsored by Local Rewards, a high street guides service launched by social media specialists Maybe* Tech.

The programme allows retailers to communicate with and reward shoppers now they have returned to the high street, it has been created with the intention of ‘levelling the playing field' between local retailers and giants like Amazon.

Participating retailers are able to cross-promote and support their high street neighbours to create an online network of connected traders.

Local Rewards also allows shoppers to see businesses near them and view their social media content as they are shopping the town or city. The aim is to provide every shopper with a prompt after each high street purchase that reveals somewhere else nearby that they may like to discover. All of the content is sourced from social media, connected via Google Maps and is connected to High Street payments from Visa, Mastercard and Amex.

 

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