The popular, coastal Giving & Living trade show will now take place from Sunday 18th to Tuesday 20th January 2026, in its usual venue, Westpoint in Exeter, just one mile off the M5, in the heart of the beautiful South West. The later dates mean that the show no longer clashes with Top Drawer Spring, or Harrogate Christmas Fair. Great news!
Posted: 10 June 2025
Autumn Fair 2025, the UK's largest seasonal showcase for Home, Gift and Fashion, has joined forces with SaveTheHighStreet.org, to launch Retail Makeover Mission, a bold new initiative launching aimed at revitalising independent retail and act as a catalyst for high street regeneration across the UK.
Championing independent retail innovation and resilience, the Retail Makeover Mission is a timely answer to the UK's retail crisis. The campaign launched on Tuesday 10th June with a competition for independent retailers to win a complete business transformation package worth over £10,000, and a survey to understand the pressures facing the industry to help drive positive change.
Posted: 10 June 2025
A new drive to grow the number of small businesses in the UK, through targeted support for side-hustles and start-ups, has been announced by Small Business Britain and eBay.
The new Side-Hustle Lab – a free, six-week online programme, designed to help people get started, scale up, and build successful businesses – will launch on 4th June.
With the number of small businesses falling by 9 percent over the last five years – from a peak of 6 million in 2020 to 5.45 million in 2024 – the organisations are jointly calling for greater support for start-ups, and particularly businesses starting life as side-hustles.
Posted: 3 June 2025
