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8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has welcomed the Bank of England's decision to reduce interest rates from 4.5% to 4.25%, calling it a "much-needed boost" for the retail sector, including for cycling...

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has responded to the news that the 144-year-old Beales department store is staging a "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" in its final weeks of trading, with giant yellow...

2 May 2025

Could the UK cycling industry be showing signs of renewed momentum? Following a challenging period marked by falling sales and overstocked inventories, overall trends and sales figures from...

2 May 2025

The Netherlands is set to legalise electric scooters and other light electric vehicles on public roads from July 2025, provided they are registered and display a license plate.

30 Apr 2025

The ACT has welcomed the announcement of a parliamentary inquiry into e-bike products not meeting safety regulations, which has been launched “in context of dangerous low-quality e-bike...

29 Apr 2025

Edinburgh has been named the UK’s top city for bike commuting, with 10.00% of its workforce choosing to cycle to work, according to new research.

28 Apr 2025

The Labour Government’s new Employment Rights Bill is set to be in force this year and the new regulations will impact high street retailers up and down the country.

25 Apr 2025

ACT parent company Bira welcomes the Chancellor's announcement of plans to create a level playing field for British businesses against unfair international trade practices.

15 Apr 2025

Retail Crime Remains Alarming - Bira's Latest Survey Reveals Urgent Need for Action

11 Apr 2025

Bira has cautiously welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement this week on plans to put 'thousands of Bobbies back on the Beat' with a new neighbourhood policing guarantee.

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The 5 fastest growing indie retail categories

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

Recent research has been conducted by the Local Data Company to determine how the British high street is evolving with indie retailers at the helm.

Key findings of the research showed that barbers, beauty salons, vape stores, cafes and tearooms, along with restaurants and bars have been the fastest growing retail sectors in the UK during 2016 to 2018, as they consistently experienced the highest number of net store openings during these years.

To put this information into context, London-based financier 365 Business Finance has created Recovery Road - a virtual high street that demonstrates the changing face of the retail industry in the UK.

365 Business Finance aims to keep Britain's high street alive through supporting small to medium sized businesses and providing cash merchant advances to independent retailers, the company is now celebrating it's five year anniversary. 365 Business Finance have reviewed the figures regarding the five fastest growing retail categories in an attempt to explain why they have taken a foothold despite the difficult climate.

Recovery Road acts as an interactive guide, showing how British retail and the high street has the potential to evolve with independent businesses at the helm.

Key Recovery Road stats include:

● The number of clean shaven men has fallen almost 20% in the last five years, which might explain why barber shops have been the number one fastest growing category for all three years.

● The 31,107 beauty salons that currently operate in the UK have witnessed a 28% increase in salon openings since 2017. Additionally, Londoners spend an average of £470 per month compared to a national average of just over £96.

● Although vape stores have experienced a 35% decrease in the net number of units opened between 2017 and 2018, they were still the third fastest growing category in 2018. This comes at a time when 48% of people who use an e-cigarette say they do so as an aid to giving up in a declining world of adult smokers.

● Cafes and tearooms experienced a 46% increase in the number of net openings between 2016-2017 - the largest number of net openings in that year. This is concurrent with a wider trend over the last decade as the number of coffee shops has increased by 140%. Research shows that 24-35 year olds are the biggest growing consumer demographic among tea drinkers.

● Despite high-profile appearances in the media, restaurants and bars were the fourth fastest growing retail category in 2018. Independent restaurants make up 68% of sales out of the £89.5 billion dining out market. Demand for finance by restaurants has also increased by 100% so far in 2019.

After showing the fastest growing categories, the Recovery Road timeline walks you through the British high street from 2008 to 2018, detailing the appearance and disappearance of some well-known retail stores.

The below graph clearly demonstrates the top five fastest growing retail categories between 2016 to 2018:

 

For more information about 365 Business Finance and Recovery Road visit their website here.

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