Going forward the association will now be known as the British Independent Retailers Association, or Bira. 

Shop price inflation increased marginally to 2.5% in April from 2.4% in March, as rising food inflation outweighed slowing non-food inflation, according to the latest BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index. 

Retailers and suppliers have a reported a fantastic Bank Holiday fortnight with large increases in sales as consumers enjoyed barbecue weather, time off work and a royal celebration. 

As garden centres and the HTA report record sales over the Bank Holiday weekends, new research finds that 78% of people in England and Wales want to keep May Day in May, rather than move to another date, as proposed by ministers. 

Family-run garden centre chain Squire's has confirmed that it has acquired Shoots Garden Centres for an undisclosed sum. 

Focus DIY has said it intends to appoint Ernst & Young as administrators, suggesting reported talks between its owner Cerberus and potential buyer GA Europe were unsuccessful. 

Family-run garden centre chain acquires Shoots for undisclosed sum. 

UK consumer businesses expect to see their financial performance improve this year, but their confidence falls below the global trend, according to a new survey from KPMG International. 

Fire at garden centre in Kibblesworth, Gateshead, which caused around £30,000 worth of damage, may have been started deliberately. 

John Lewis has reported a 7.6% sales uplift for the week to April 23, 2011, as customers enjoyed the sunny weather. 

While the number of full-time jobs in UK retail picked up in the first quarter of 2011, March figures saw a decline on last year, with a sharp increase in the number of redundancies. 

Fermoy's Garden Centre Café is celebrating this week after its cupcakes were judged best in the UK at the Bakers' Fair in Newberry on April 10. 

DIY giant films its own versions of classics, including Psycho, The Shining and Poltergeist, with a DIY twist as part of new viral campaign. 

Carpetright has issued its second profit warning in a month after sales declined further in the 11 weeks to April 16, 2011. 

The UK economy has grown by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2011, according to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics, allaying fears of a 'double dip recession'. 

Mobile retail searches surged 181% year-on-year for the three months to March 2011, according to the new BRC-Google Online Retail Monitor launched today. 

Homebase has rolled out collection facilities for low-energy light bulb recycling across its 320 stores. 

Latest Business Insolvency Index from Experian reveals increase in average financial strength score from April 2010 to March this year. 

The latest SRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor has revealed Scotland's first fall in total sales for more than a decade. 

The six Bennetts stores recently acquired by Hughes Electrical are all trading above expectations, according to a statement from Hughes released this week.