Autumn Fair 2025 and SaveTheHighStreet.org are on a joint mission to rebuild the UK’s high streets. They’ve launched a multi-layer strategy under the banner ‘Retail Makeover Mission’ and hailed it as a “bold new initiative… to champion independent retail innovation and resilience, [as] a timely answer to the UK’s retail crisis”.
The campaign has launched with a headline competition for independent retailers to win a business transformation package worth over £10,000. The search is on to find 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, it noted.
As a commitment to “supporting the entire independent retail community”, every retailer who enters will also get a free retail health check via SaveTheHighStreet.org’s Thriver platform. They will also receive ‘Expert-Created’ Toolkits and 1-2-1 Expert Appointments, personal consultations with retail specialists during Autumn Fair,
The two winning retailers will also gain three months of premium access to the platform, giving them ongoing support and resources.
The scheme’s launch is also accompanied by a survey “to understand the pressures facing the industry to help drive positive change”.
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, they said.
Soraya Gadelrab, event director at Autumn Fair, said: “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. Spring & 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.”
Alex Schlagman, founding partner of SaveTheHighStreet.org, added: “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.”
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