A budget in the run-up to Christmas? The timing could scarcely be worse for Britain's high streets

Growth in the last quarter stood at just 0.3%, hardly something to celebrate. Yet the real concern isn't whether growth is possible, it's whether our high streets will survive long enough to benefit from it.

The anxiety amongst independent retailers is palpable. With the budget set for 26th November and hints of tax rises on the horizon, both businesses and consumers are paralysed by uncertainty. Nobody knows where these increases will fall, so everyone fears the worst. The result? Inaction at precisely the time when retailers need confidence and momentum.

The timing could scarcely be worse. This budget falls squarely in the middle of the golden quarter for retail, the crucial build-up to Christmas. It leaves us with weeks of anxiety during the most important trading period of the year. All we're hearing is that bad news is coming. That's no way to encourage consumer spending or business investment.

Independent retailers have shown remarkable resilience. The pandemic, for all its horrors, proved to be a catalyst. Shop owners who suddenly found their doors closed were forced to innovate. Since then, we've seen a surge in social media engagement, the adoption of omnichannel strategies, and creative approaches to customer experience. Many of our cookshop members now host evening cooking demonstrations using the very equipment they sell. It's about creating experiences and connecting with local communities.

But here's the challenge - retail is a low-margin business. Success comes from shifting volume whilst keeping costs down. Yet every cost seems to be rising faster than inflation and faster than sales. Energy bills, labour costs, and most frustratingly, business rates continue their relentless upward march.

If I could deliver one message to the Treasury ahead of the budget, it would be this: sort out business rates. There was a promise to replace this outdated system with something fairer. That promise has not been kept. Business rates have risen under this government and, unless the current plans change, they'll rise again next April. Every shop owner paying business rates would echo this plea: please don't let this antiquated tax inhibit our ability to run successful businesses and grow.

The investment strategies being discussed are focused on the long term: high tech, digital transformation, and grand development plans. These are important, undoubtedly. But by the time this long-term growth materialises, how many fewer shops will be left on our high streets to enjoy its benefits?

Britain's independent retailers are working incredibly hard. They're innovating, adapting, and fighting to serve their communities. But they're doing so with one hand tied behind their backs, weighed down by ever-increasing fixed costs and buffeted by economic uncertainty. We need policies that proactively support high street businesses rather than simply talking about long-term growth whilst the foundations crumble. We need to give consumers confidence to spend the money they've worked hard to earn.

The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is achievable, but only if we ensure there's still a high street left to find it.

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Andrew Goodacre is Chief Executive Officer of the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA), which represents hundreds of independent retailers across the UK.

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