About Us

Independent retailers are much closer to their communities, the business owner is often from that community, they live in that community, and they’ve really made that community work

Andrew Goodacre - CEO The British Independent Retailers Association

Representing independent retail businesses

Neartoo is a collaborative platform born out of a desire to see independent businesses thrive. We aren’t governed by shareholders or corporate giants, but instead by the independent businesses that make Britain great!

We’re proud to represent thousands of businesses across the UK, from single retail outlets and small chains, to large department stores and agricultural dealerships.

Neartoo is backed by The British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA), who have been supporting indies for over 120 years.

Over this time, BIRA has been fighting for a level playing field, drawing on the strength of their membership mass. They influence the media, change Government legislation and provide support on areas of strain for small businesses across the UK.

Neartoo enables our indie members to thrive online and in-store, offering support above and beyond the e-commerce platform. We think they deserve it, and are super grateful to them all!

Founded

1901

Members

4000

Business Savings

£10.5b

Partnerships

500

Powering Britain's local businesses

“We’ve been the other side of the till for over 20 years, giving us first hand experience of the highs and lows of running an independent business” - Darren Townsend, Founder Locally UK.

Making technology and digital solutions accessible to all was the driving force that led to the birth of Locally UK - a marketplace provider founded from over 20 years of first hand retail experience.

Locally UK proved to be a lifeline for so many independent businesses before and during the pandemic, opening consumers' eyes to the importance of shopping locally. Independent retailers needed a fast solution to connect with their customers, in a way that offered convenience similar to that of the online giants.

With technology constantly evolving, Locally UK makes continuous upgrades and enhancements behind the scenes, adding benefit to their solutions without creating additional workload for small business owners.

The pandemic raised awareness surrounding the shop local movement, and saw small businesses across the Country step up to support their communities. We’re helping you to return the favour!

Buy independent, buy neartoo.

We’ve been the other side of the till for over 20 years, giving us first hand experience of the highs and lows of running an independent business

Darren Townsend - Founder and CEO Locally UK