We’ve partnered with Autumn Fair to launch the ‘Retail Makeover Mission’ – a movement to empower independent retail and drive positive change.

This new nationwide campaign offers hands-on transformations, mentoring, and support to help independent retailers adapt, grow, and thrive.  It includes a £10,000 competition prize that offers Independent Retailers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to supercharge their business.  Applicants also receive a FREE Thriver ‘Health Check’ (HelloThriver.com) and the chance to participate in a national survey to champion and drive positive change in the industry.

Retailers can enter the competition at: https://www.autumnfair.com/retail-makeover 

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 this week 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.

Autumn Fair and SaveTheHighStreet.org are searching for two ambitious independent retailers who are ready to take their business to the next level with expert help, investment and industry-wide exposure. A dream team of top retail professionals will help to transform the winning businesses with real transformation and results.

Backed by a Task Team of retail experts, the initiative directly addresses the most pressing issues facing independents today, from merchandising to drive engagement and sales, curating product ranges to maximise margins, enhancing displays to increase footfall, to improving operational efficiency, elevating customer experience, and developing agile business strategies to thrive in a constantly evolving retail landscape.

“This isn’t just about helping a few shops; it’s about showing what’s possible when the industry comes together to support real businesses,” says Soraya Gadelrab, Event Director at Autumn Fair. “Spring and Autumn Fair have been a staple of independent retail buying for years and they are here to help the Great British High Street take its next step – this initiative brings that to life.

“As the UK’s leading retail trade events, we’ve long been a platform for product discovery and industry connection. Retail Makeover Mission in partnership with SaveTheHighStreet.org is about going beyond the buying and actively investing in the future of local retail.”

The nationwide competition will offer two independent shop owners a chance to transform their business ahead of retail’s peak season. The campaign is looking for bricks-and-mortar businesses across gifting, home and lifestyle, fashion, and garden sectors with strong potential but facing specific operational challenges.  By applying, retailers will have the chance to receive expert-led support and a complete business makeover but also become part of a nationwide movement championing the future of the high street.

Winners of the Complete Business Transformation Package, worth over £10,000 will receive:

• Personal Retail Expert Task Team – Industry-leading specialists providing 20+ hours of intensive, hands-on mentoring directly in store
• Dedicated £1,000 Buying Budget to spend at Autumn fair – New investment to elevate product range with expert guidance on high-impact selections
• Store Makeover Budget – Professional transformation of the retail space with hands-on visual merchandising support
• VIP Trade Show Experience – Premium access to Autumn Fair with travel and accommodation included as well as exclusive networking opportunities
• 6 weeks Access to Thriver – A business growth programme Powered by SaveTheHighStreet.org, with expert coaching and tailored support.
• Industry-Wide PR & Marketing Exposure – Professional coverage and branded assets to showcase your transformation journey 

Together, these benefits aim to drive lasting change, visibility, and commercial growth for the selected retailers.

Alex Schlagman, Founding Partner of SaveTheHighStreet.org said; “We know it’s not easy out there, costs are rising, footfall is unpredictable, and change is constant. But we also know that independent retailers are resilient, resourceful, and central to their communities. Through this partnership, we’re not just talking about support, we’re investing in it. Retailers will get access to mentoring, tailored strategy, marketing advice, and a Task Team of retail experts covering everything from stock flow to financial planning. This is about backing indies with practical help, emotional support, and the belief that they can thrive, together.”

Everyone’s a Winner

Committed to supporting the entire independent retail community, every retailer who enters as part of the Retail Makeover Mission will get a FREE retail health check via SaveTheHighStreet.org’s Thriver platform. A digital platform designed to support independent retailers with tailored, expert-led business advice, Thriver offers practical, data-driven insights and step-by-step guidance to help shop owners build resilience, improve operations, and grow sustainably. The two winning retailers will also gain 3 months of premium access to the platform, giving them ongoing support and resources.

All entrants will also receive:

• Expert-Created Toolkits – Practical resources and guides developed by the specialist task team, covering everything from visual merchandising to customer retention strategies
• Exclusive 1-2-1 Expert Appointments – Personal consultations with retail specialists during Autumn Fair, offering direct access to industry-leading advice tailored to specific needs.

Soraya Gadelrab, Event Director of Spring and Autumn Fair adds; “We’ve come together with SaveTheHighStreet.org because we believe in the future of independent retail. Independent shops are the heartbeat of our communities, and Autumn Fair has always been where those retailers find ideas, inspiration, and opportunity. With Retail Makeover Mission, we’re taking that one step further, not just offering a platform, but becoming a partner in their growth. This initiative is about visibility, transformation, and delivering real, hands-on advice and action, not just theory.”

Retailers can enter at https://www.autumnfair.com/retail-makeover 

As part of the ongoing campaign to support the High Street, retailers will also be invited to take part in a retail survey to explore the biggest pressures facing independent retailers, what changes would benefit their business, and how the industry can help drive positive change.

The post Win a £10K Retail Makeover! first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

Once again the team at SaveTheHighStreet.org will be in attendance at the 2025 Completely Retail Marketplace events, and we’d love to meet you there!

Co Founder Alex Schlagman is a member of the event’s Advisory Board and is once again hosting Soapbox, the unique ‘pitching’ platform for new and growing brands.  The wider team has contributed to the educational content in various ways over the past few years.

If you attended last September’s Completely Retail Marketplace, you may know that we hosted a series of roundtable discussions in partnership with Association of Town and City Management (ATCM).  

The key take away messages (listed below) continue to underpin and drive our work to ensure successful high streets, now and into the future.

Session 1 – Incubators

The usefulness of Incubators for filling vacant space is still a hot topic, with a key message to “take a punt” coming through strongly! There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach, so be creative and work with what you’ve got. With High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) now enforceable, it is a good time to consider how your vacant space can be put to good use.

Session 2 – Local Collaboration

Collaborating locally is also still a big success factor, and a key take away message from the round table sessions was that “every place has local champions who are willing to step up”. Funding and contributions can be sought out, so get the conversations started at a local level.

Session 3 – Direction of Regeneration

In our third and final session it was concluded that ongoing commitment to Town Centre Regeneration “must continue”, with session participants discussing both the challenges and opportunities of national, regional and local policies. Shopping centres were highlighted as having a good advantage in terms of their control and ability to make an impact.

In 2022 we launched The Vacancy Partnership, and 18 months ago we showcased on stage a range of new cross-sector partnership opportunities.  Since then we have delivered many grass-roots projects that are now powered by Thriver and funded by landlords, local authorities, BIDs and others.

Contact partners@savethehighstreet.org to book a catch up at this year’s April or September events, or at another time to suit you.

The post Chat with us at Completely Retail Marketplace first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

Recently at SaveTheHighStreet.org we launched an exciting competition with Southend-on-Sea City Council, Business On Sea, and RivingtonHark, offering six new businesses the chance to occupy vacant shop units at The Victoria Shopping Centre in Southend. After receiving over 250 registrations and 150+ applications, it was too hard to select just six so we extended it to add a further business. We’re thrilled to announce the seven winners who will bring fresh energy to the high street:

• The Thrift Club with Aline Cabral
• The Princess Emporium with Eleanor Warner-Lathe
• Dalarna Vintage with Tessa Hallmann
• Create 98 with Alison Cotteridge
• Dr Drip with Ryan and Daisy Nuttgens
• Sacred Studios with Grace Smallman
• Something About Rose with Kate Gibbon

These businesses will be part of The Bridge, a dynamic new space set to energize the shopping centre and Southend as a whole.

A Proven Model for High Street Revitalisation

This initiative is part of a wider effort by SaveTheHighStreet.org to tackle rising vacancy rates and support local entrepreneurs. Earlier this year, in partnership with Redevco, we launched the UK’s first ‘end-to-end pop-up incubator’ at Guildford’s White Lion Walk Shopping Centre. This program offers startups rent-free retail space for three months, expert mentorship, and business support. The incubator has already helped businesses like Rita Botanicals, Silent Pool, and MyNewFave transition to long-term leases.

Scaling for Future Success

The success of this incubator model is a breakthrough for high street regeneration. We’re expanding this initiative to other locations, across the UK to create flexible, community-driven spaces that quickly repopulate vacant units and nurture local talent.

“We believe this model can play a key role in revitalising town centres across the UK,” said Clare Yeadon from Redevco.

As we celebrate the winners in Southend, we’re excited about the future of these incubator projects, which are breathing new life into town centres and supporting sustainable retail destinations across the UK.

To find out more about our vacancy solutions visit SaveTheHighStreet.org/end–vacancy or email Partners@savethehighstreet.org

#SaveTheHighStreet #HighStreetRevitalisation #SupportLocal #SouthendBusiness #IncubatorSuccess #FutureofRetail

The post SaveTheHighStreet.org: Revitalising Southend and Beyond with Incubator Campaigns first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

The positive impact of ‘pulling together’ can benefit everyone – not just the traders themselves.  Often Landlords, Local Authorities or other ‘authorities’ would like to offer support or help, but where there is no central point of contact for the high street area or town centre, it can be hard to get off the first base.

What have we been doing?

Over the past 18 months or so we have worked in over 10 locations across England to connect with high street businesses and help facilitate the formation of a new Group, or re-launch one that has lapsed or needed an injection of support.  These projects have been backed by funding partners, who are committed to supporting their high streets.

Where?

Our Groups have been based in various locations, including:

• Ware, Baldock and Hemel Old Town in Hertfordshire
• Penistone, Hoyland, Goldthorpe, Cudworth and Royston in Yorkshire
• Coalville in Leicestershire.

We’ve also provided a longer term initiative for creating and launching a Town Centre Partnership in Dudley in the West Midlands.

What’s been achieved?

First and foremost we’ve kick started conversations between traders.  Although some areas are well-connected, there are examples of people running businesses in the same high street for 15 years or so, having never previously spoken to their fellow traders!  Building a database of local high street businesses, complete with contact details is part of our successful model.

We’ve then identified ‘hot topics’ and local issues with a view to moving towards a plan for improvements.  In many cases we’ve positively ‘unblocked’ the problems through direct intervention or negotiation.  

Once issues had been ‘aired’ we could then focus on specific activities to help generate more footfall and trade.  These have included window competitions, local events, high street ‘trails’ and the creation of new, seasonal markets.

Many Local Champions are also business owners, which means they often don’t get time to kick start a Group without facilitated support. Here’s what our newest Group had to say:

“We’ve been grateful for the help and guidance from Julie and the SaveTheHighStreet.org team in getting the Hoyland Traders Group up and running. Although numbers attending meetings have not been huge, we have made great progress and we’ve managed to access fantastic local, collaborative support including funding that we would otherwise not have been aware of or considered.
We’ve also built relationships with national brands and formed a partnership with Community Shop Group’s management team, which has resulted in access to free use of equipment, access to volunteers and donations including selection boxes for our Christmas event.
It has been hard work but a very positive experience.”
Peter Holmes (Barnsley Today Magazine) and Wayne Crawshaw (John Crawshaw Butchers)
Co-Chairs of Hoyland Traders Group

Julie Holden, Community Director at SaveTheHighStreet.org is close to many of these projects. “It is good to see that the recent recommendations from the House of Lords report into high streets includes support for ‘local communities’ and a focus on town centre management to help drive improvements.
Our Dudley Group was featured on Central ITV as the new report was announced, showcasing their activities as a great example of exactly the sort of positive initiative needed. Click here to watch the news report.
We have an army of Local Champions who are passionate about the success of their high streets and town centres! We are excited to be developing this area of our work in the year ahead.”

A few words from one of our Local Authority partners:

“North West Leicestershire District Council commissioned SaveTheHighStreet.org to undertake an ‘on the ground’ project to assess the appetite for creating a local traders’ group in Coalville town centre.

Through the direct input from the team at SaveTheHighStreet.org, the project has been a success. A core group of local businesses and high street champions have come together to form a new town team and have accessed a historic pot of funding which had been ring-fenced for town centre activities.

We now have an active and dedicated team of local businesses with a formal structure. This has enabled the council to work more closely with town centre businesses, and for the town team to coordinate new events and activities to encourage people to come and enjoy Coalville and its food, drink, leisure, heritage and retail offer.

I’m delighted with what has been achieved and am happy to recommend this partnership for other towns and local areas without a formal group or Business Improvement District.”

Barrie Walford, Economic Development Manager, North West Leicestershire District Council

If you’d like to make a difference in your local area then sign up as a Local Champion by clicking here

The post Positive Impact of Traders Groups at Place Level first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

The UK government has launched a new initiative, High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs), which has gone live, effective 2nd December 2024. It is designed to tackle the growing issue of long-term vacant shops on high streets. Minister Alex Norris announced the initiative at a National Showcase event in Wolverhampton on 21st November, which included local authorities, landlords, and key stakeholders.

UPDATE: Click here for detailed guidance on High Street Rental Auctions

The new legislation allows councils to step in when landlords leave commercial properties vacant for over a year. Local authorities will have the power to auction leases for vacant units, offering them to small businesses, start-ups, and community groups in need of affordable space. These short-term, flexible leases (ranging from one to five years) are intended to breathe new life into town centres by fostering innovation, creating jobs, and driving local economic growth.

The Government’s Commitment to High Street Revival

With one in seven high street units reportedly vacant, the government is committed to rejuvenating town centres. Over £1 million in funding will support the HSRA process, while new policies to freeze business rates, lower taxes for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties, and increase the Employment Allowance will provide much-needed relief for small businesses.
“High streets are the beating heart of our communities, but too many have been neglected,” said Minister Norris. “HSRAs give local councils the tools to take control and re-energise town centres.”

SaveTheHighStreet.org’s Role in Supporting Local Regeneration

At the event, Julie Holden, our Community Director, commented on the new initiative: “Although the process is fairly complex and it relies on certain criteria, it will be a useful ‘tool’ for getting the ball rolling in the right direction. I’m sure enforcement will be a last resort in most instances, and there will be funding to help at various points. We look forward to continuing to work with Local Authorities and landlords to help facilitate projects that can repopulate vacant units with growing brands, start-ups, and the next generation of high street entrepreneurs—with or without the HSRA powers being used.”

SaveTheHighStreet.org is committed to supporting this transition by offering Vacancy Partnership opportunities. Our platform connects stakeholders to help facilitate projects that bring businesses and services back to vacant properties, whether or not HSRA powers are used. We believe in empowering local communities and businesses to shape their high streets, and we are eager to collaborate to make this vision a reality.

What’s Next?

The full documentation for the ‘right to rent’ scheme has been published on 2nd December and can be viewed in the link above, with funding guidelines available from 15th January 2025. Local authorities will be able to act as early adopters, working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) to provide strategic guidance and best practices.

For those interested in partnering with us, visit SaveTheHighStreet.org/end-vacancy to register your interest and get involved in the regeneration of high streets across the UK.

This initiative marks a crucial step toward breathing new life into high streets, boosting local businesses, and creating a vibrant, sustainable economy. With government support and collaboration across sectors, we’re excited to see the positive change ahead.

The post Revitalising High Streets: The Launch of High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

Rachel Reeves, the first woman chancellor in the UK, presented the Labour budget 2024 today, 30th October 2024.

She positioned the budget as “restoring stability to our economy” through a “decade of national renewal”, driving growth with a call of “invest, invest, invest”.

The budget raises £40 billion in taxes and invests £100 billion over the term of the government. 

Read on for the key takeaways every small high street business owner, landlord, champion or any other local economy stakeholder needs to know about the Labour budget 2024. 

Labour Budget 2024: Change to Business Rates 

• Reform of business rates for high streets rolled out from 2026-27.
• 40% relief for retail, hospitality and leisure, up to a cap of £110,000 per business.
• Small business multiplier to be frozen next year.
• Funded by introducing a higher multiplier for the most valuable properties, such as distribution warehouses used by online giants.

Labour Budget 2024: Increase in National Minimum and Living Wage

• National Living Wage to increase from £11.44 to £12.21 an hour from April 2025, up 6.7%.
• National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds to rise from £8.60 to £10.00 an hour, up 16.3%.

Labour Budget 2024: Tax For Employees 

• No increase in income tax and national insurance contributions for employees.
• Income tax thresholds remain frozen as announced in the Spring budget until 2028.
• Thresholds to increase with inflation from 2028/29 tax year.

Labour Budget 2024: Change in Insurance Increase for Businesses 

• Rate of employer National Insurance to increase by 1.2 percentage points, from 13.8% to 15% from 6 April 2025.
• Secondary Threshold – the level at which employers start to pay national insurance on each employee’s salary – to fall from £9,100 per year to £5,000 per year.
• Employment Allowance to increase to £10,500 from £5,000.

Labour Budget 2024: Unchanged Corporation Tax 

• Corporation tax to stay capped at 25%.
• Small Profits Rate and marginal relief to stay at current rate and thresholds – no changes in corporation tax for SMEs.

Labour Budget 2024: Continued Entrepreneurs Relief 

• Business Asset Disposal Relief (Entrepreneurs Relief) to stay at 10% this year, increasing to 18% from 6 April 2026.
• Lifetime allowance for Business Asset Disposal Relief to stay at £1 million.

Want support with understanding the impact of the budget?

Get in touch with hello@savethehighstreet.org – we’re here to help, whether you’re a small business, local council, local champion, landlord or anyone else that would like to better understand how the budget could be impacting you, your business or your local economy. 

The post Labour Budget 2024: High Street Business Takeaways first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

SaveTheHighStreet.org and Flintshire County Council have joined forces to help the local business community thrive.

Over 40 small business owners across the county have joined our unique business support programme and achieved positive change in their businesses.

But there’s still so much more to come. 

Here’s a breakdown of what’s ahead and how you can get involved… 

Upcoming events, exclusively for Flintshire businesses (all free of charge!)

• November 4th, online: Learn how to grab attention with your window display and create a gold-standard in-store experience from John Abbate, a leading visual merchandiser and customer experience expert.   
• November 11th, in-person: Meet the team in person at The Flintshire High Street Conference at Flint Mountain Park Hotel on 11th November for local business awards, roundtable discussions, updates, presentations, networking opportunities and much more. 
• 21st November, 17:30, online: Learn from Julie Holden, our Community Director, what a traders group is, why your town needs one and exactly how to form one. Everyone who attends will also leave with access to our comprehensive traders group training pack.

Click on the links above to find out more about each event and register for free before spaces fill up. 

Nominate yourself, or another local business owner, for an award 

At The Flintshire High Street Conference on 11th November, we’re excited to be awarding local businesses across the county.

Email Flintshire@savethehighstreet.org if you think you or any other business owner deserves some recognition for running a local business or for supporting the local community as a small business owner.

And remember to register for the conference, here.

1-2-1 support for local businesses 

The final few places are available on our free business support programme in Flintshire. 

Click here to register your interest in getting: 

• A completely-customised Action Plan for moving your business forward
• Hands-on support with putting your plan into action 
• 8 weeks of 1-to-1 mentoring from a high street business expert 

Businesses we’ve supported so far 

We’ve already worked with over 40 businesses in Flintshire and here’s what just some of them have had to say:

• An absolutely amazing experience… one that I think that every business, both big and small, would benefit from in Flintshire. It’s given me that “fire in my belly” feeling again! Thank you!” — Tower Crafts, Holywell. 
• “This programme has helped us to become more profitable, increase footfall and better advertise ourselves. We are so grateful for Lorna’s (business mentor) help every week!” — Holywell Museum, Holywell. 
• “Joanne (my business mentor) has reawakened my passion for my business. I had completely lost motivation but this has given me the kick and support I need to get my business back on track again.” — Peridot Academy, Shotton. 
• “This support has given me the opportunity to properly work on my business, instead of just in it. It’s helped me to put the foundations in place, focus on marketing and increase footfall. Thank you so much!” — Lovelies Delights, Mold. 

Help spread the word 

Do you know any other local businesses or community champions you think should be aware of what we’re doing in the county?

Share this page and help spread the word – the more people we reach, the more impact we’ll achieve together. 

Any questions, thoughts, feedback or ideas, please email us at flintshire@savethehighstreet.org. We’d love to hear from you!

The post Flintshire Town Centre Support Programme: Latest Updates first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

Back in March this year, SaveTheHighStreet.org and Redevco, owner of the White Lion Walk shopping centre in Guildford, joined forces to launch a unique competition for up-and-coming high-street brands to win rent-free space to boost occupancy. 

Hundreds of businesses entered but only three could win and in this article, we’re excited to bring you up to speed with the project and what’s happened so far.

What was on offer

Each of our winners received: 

• 8 weeks of completely rent-free space at White Lion Walk, one of Guildford’s prime retail hotspots.
• A place on our JO Accelerator Programme, giving them access to a team of high street experts, 1-to-1 support and a whole host of done-for-you solutions to launch their new stores with success.  
• Help with securing a permanent lease at White Lion Walk and access to ongoing support to grow their businesses. 

At the time of the announcement, Alex Schlagman, Founder of SaveTheHighStreet.org said: 

“We are thrilled to offer this unique opportunity to Guildford’s entrepreneurial community. The White Lion Walk Incubator is more than just free space; it’s a chance to gain invaluable experience and establish a successful business in a prime location.”

Whilst, Claire Yeadon of Redevco said:

“We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Save the High Street, aligning perfectly with Redevco’s mission to help towns and cities be more sustainable and liveable. This collaborative effort allows us to provide local businesses with a unique opportunity to establish a shop and receive comprehensive support and guidance, ensuring their new ventures thrive.”

Introducing our winners

After much deliberation, Redevco and SaveTheHighStreet.org selected the following three businesses as our lucky winners…

Silent Pool Distillers  

Drawn by a common passion for craft distilling, in 2013 a group of friends came together to create a new kind of distillery, producing handcrafted, artisan spirits with uncompromising quality. In an extraordinary location on the Duke of Northumberland’s Albury Estate, a group of dilapidated farm buildings on the banks of the legendary & mystical Silent Pool has been transformed to become the home of the Silent Pool Distillers. 

Silent Pool is now selling from a prime unit in White Lion Walk. 

Find out more about the brand here. 

My New Fave Collective

My New Fave Collective by Kelly Attfield brings together a diverse range of handmade and originally-designed products from local creators, including clothing, jewellery, homeware, skincare and so much more. The store aims to become the go-to destination for high-quality, handmade gifts with a personal touch in Guildford. 

Kelly first launched the brand online as a jewellery business but, thanks to our competition, has now been able to operate offline for the first time by teaming up with other like-minded local creatives. 

Check out My New Fave on Instagram to find out more.

Rita Botanicals 

Rita Botanicals by Nadia Margherita Jbilou is Guildford’s very first houseplants store, offering a diverse selection of high-quality plants, plant care products and plant-inspired gifts, along with educational workshops and community events.  

Nadia’s journey began at Portobello Road Market in London, where she ran a successful market stall. Winning a spot on the incubator program has now allowed her to scale up her business and realise her lifelong dream of launching her very own store. 

The shop is named after Nadia’s beloved Italian grandmother, Nonna Rita, who instilled in her a deep love for plants and nature. 

Find out more here. 

What’s happening now 

Each of the three businesses are now open in White Lion Walk and attracting local shoppers from across Guildford. The three winning owners are also receiving support from JO, which is helping them succeed and prepare for longer tenancies in the centre. 

We’re helping our winners with their marketing, store design, branding, market research, press outreach and much more, all through our unique business support platform and a team of high street experts. 

Get involved

Looking to launch your own high street store?

Or want help with occupying vacant units in innovative, sustainable ways? 

Whether you’re a small business owner, an aspiring one, landlord, local council, shopping centre manager or anyone else that’s looking to set-up, sustain and scale high street brands, SaveTheHighStreet.org is here to help. 

Get in touch with us at hello@savethehighstreet.org or by completing the form below to let us know what kind of support you’re looking for. We’d love to hear from you. 

The post SaveTheHighStreet.org teams up with Redevco for Guildford vacancy project first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

The post SaveTheHighStreet.org & Stevenage Indoor Market announce competition winners first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.

Following our “Open Your Shop” competition, hosted in partnership with Ankorstart, we’re excited to introduce you to one of our winners who we’re helping to launch on the high street.

Meet Aimee and Lily Barrett, the duo sisters behind Candid Studios

Candid Studios is a unique, South Korean-inspired self-portrait studio where you’re in charge. 

Soon stepping up to their new flagship studio off Portobello Road — which we’re supporting them with — Aimee and Lily are on a mission to flip the script on filtered-to-perfection photos that have come to dominate our social feeds. 

The concept is simple: visit Candid Studios, and capture your true self. At your freest and most fun. They invite you to take control of your story… however you’d like to. 

Say bye to feeling camera shy. No judgement, no photographer, no pressure.

Just you — and whoever you want to bring along for the ride — a studio set-up, some fun props (enter disco ball and a cowboy hat) and a 90s-inspired bedroom vibe.

From capturing the raw beauty of scars and stories of resilience to chronicling love and life’s milestones, the studio seeks to unleash the power of the self-portrait. 

Here’s what Aimee and Lily had to say about their journey so far when we caught up with them!

Why did you start Candid Studios?

“Candid was founded out of our own struggle with self-doubt and self-love. The stories that take place within studio make us so emotional. We want to share the impact Candid has with the world, helping others to step out of their comfort zones and remove self-limiting beliefs. Candid is empowering people to love themselves for who they are and we’re so proud of that!””

Why did you enter the “Open Your Shop” competition?

We wanted to challenge ourselves! We hadn’t ever pitched our business before, and wanted to use this as a learning curve. We had no idea we’d actually get as far as we did and we feel so lucky!

How did you feel when you won the competition? 

SO excited, empowered and grateful!

How have you found the support since you won?

The JO team and SaveTheHighStreet.org are playing a really important role as we grow and scale our business. We feel really lifted every time we connect with the team!

What does the future for Candid Studios look like now?

We can’t believe what the future is looking like with just being founders for 10 months. We have a new studio opening in the summer, more incredible pop-ups planned and we’re also introducing lots of new streams into Candid like more booths and retail. We’re so excited.

Give Candid a follow on Instagram to stay up to date with their journey! 

Have you always wanted to launch your own high street business?

SaveTheHighStreet.org is here to help. 

We launched JO to help both existing and future high street entrepreneurs realise their dreams and achieve their goals.

JO is a unique platform that powers business support for high street businesses like Candid Studios across the UK.

Click here to find out more and to start your journey with us.

The post Introducing Candid Studios: The Award-Winning Self-Portrait Studio in London first appeared on Savethehighstreet.org.