The organisers of Spring Fair have welcomed the measures announced in the Autumn Budget last week to ease business rates pressures on independent retailers, but they said financial relief must be accompanied by practical action to encourage consumers back onto Britain’s high streets.
The Budget includes an increase in Small Business Rates Relief thresholds for qualifying retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England, with an estimated 70,000 additional businesses expected to pay no business rates from April 2027. Eligible businesses will also benefit from a two-year real-terms freeze on business rates bills.
Jackson Szabo, Portfolio Director of the Spring Fair and Autumn Fair exhibitions, said the measures represent a positive step for independent retailers, but warned that rising employment costs, continued pressure on margins and the challenge of attracting customers remain significant concerns…
“Greater relief and more certainty over future costs will make a meaningful difference, particularly for smaller businesses making difficult decisions about staffing, investment and growth. But reducing the cost of trading is only part of the solution.”
Mr Szabo added: “Retailers also need customers coming through their doors. If we want thriving high streets, we need to look beyond business costs and consider what will encourage people to visit, spend time and support the independent businesses at the heart of their communities.”
Accessible high streets
Research from The Voices of Retail 2026, produced by Spring Fair and Autumn Fair in partnership with Faire, highlighted why tackling business costs alone will not be enough to secure the future of independent retail. The research found that 96% of consumers believe independent retailers are important, while 63% said free parking would encourage them to visit their local high street more often.
Among retailers, 38% identified free parking as the intervention most likely to benefit their business, ahead of business rates relief at 34%. The findings underline the importance of combining financial support for businesses with measures that make town and city centres more accessible, attractive and commercially viable.
“What’s encouraging about our research is that consumers continue to recognise the value of independent retail,” Mr Szabo continued. “People want distinctive shops, interesting products and the personal service that independent businesses provide. But that support needs to translate into visits and sales.
“Free parking isn’t a solution to every challenge facing our high streets, but it’s a practical example of the action that could make a difference. The Budget has recognised the importance of easing financial pressures on smaller businesses, and that is a positive step. The opportunity now is to build on that support with measures that encourage footfall, strengthen local economies and give independent retailers the confidence to invest in their future.”
Spring Fair and Autumn Fair are already championing practical measures to support independent retailers through their parliamentary petition calling for a minimum of 90 minutes’ free parking in town and city centres across England. The campaign, informed by the Voices of Retail research, aims to remove one of the barriers to high-street visits and encourage consumers to spend more time exploring and supporting local businesses.
