BHF bucks trend as it boosts membership

BHF Group grew membership by 3.5% – adding 93 new members – last year.
The independent retailer trade association said the fact that it had been able to post a healthy overall increase, despite the mounting severity of the economic downturn, showed that it had bucked the trend on the high street.

Said group managing director Alan Hawkins: “This is a good result. It wasn’t easy to achieve as businesses are under pressure whichever walk of retail life they inhabit.

“It’s the outcome of a great deal of hard work: we work hard at gaining members, we work hard at keeping members and we work hard at providing valuable services that make membership a ‘must have’.”

The news comes as BHF Group prepares to implement the proposed merger with the British Shops & Stores Association, announced in December.