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Get your free copy06 June 2011, 18:38 PM
- A new celebratory week devoted to the independent retail sector was a success, according to small business groups
The week which ran from 29 May to 4 June 2011 aimed to celebrate the diversity of the British high street and helped to boost local businesses.
The celebration is part of the “My Shop Is Your Shop” campaign which highlights the advantages of shopping locally. Participants offered discounts on top brands and in-store events.
Backing the aims of Independents’ Week: British Retail Consortium director general Stephen Robertson said, “Small and independent retailers are crucial to communities and the success of UK retailing overall but the difficulties many are facing must be recognised and addressed.”
The week, aimed at helping independent retailers promote themselves, comes a fortnight after the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announced a review of the high street to be headed by reality television presenter Mary Portas.
The concerns which it must tackle and the BRC’s recommendations are highlighted in the BRC’s vision for the future 21st Century High Streets. They include: changing future business rates by making them more affordable and also creating a more predictable relationship between National Minimum Wage (NMW) and average earnings movements.
