The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) welcomes the Government’s agreement to extend its rent moratorium into March 2022. The extension, announced on 16 June, follows extensive lobbying from Bira, which met with Small Business Minister Paul Scully to discuss the rent moratorium and other issues impacting indie retailers last month.

Commenting is Bira CEO, Andrew Goodacre. “The extension to the rent moratorium and the ring-fencing of debt is another campaigning success for Bira. It is obvious that retailers with rent debt incurred during the closure periods need further protection and more time as they look to rebuild their businesses. At the end of the extended period, there will be binding arbitration to resolve any outstanding disputes; another Bira request.

“Whilst the extension is good news, we still await some important details to fully brief our members. We are keen to ensure that there are no loopholes for landlords to exploit. Finally, our message to retailers is that it is vital that rent is paid if you are trading. Any debt incurred whilst open will not be protected. So, it is impotent for retailers and landlords to sit down and find a practical solution to addressing the debt.”

The rent moratorium was due to expire on 30 June 2021. It will now run until 25 March 2022 for the businesses ‘most in need’. The full Government statement is available here.

For further information on Bira, please click here.