Worldpay, in partnership with Mastercard and retail expert Mary Portas, is calling on the UK’s most promising small businesses to apply for Thrive Street 2025 – a new independent retail festival taking place this October in Manchester and London.
Designed to celebrate innovation, community values, and entrepreneurial spirit, the initiative will showcase up to 30 standout brands selected by Portas and her team, offering them a premium platform to sell, connect, and grow.
This new festival of independent retail will take place over successive long weekends in October at Altogether Otherwise in Manchester’s NOMA neighbourhood and at the Truman Brewery in London’s Shoreditch.
By day, these pop-up markets will be shopping destinations showcasing products with purpose, character and innovation made by small, community-minded businesses. By night, they will turn into hubs of insight and inspiration, with business masterclasses, expert panels and networking events open to all local entrepreneurs and retailers.
Applications for Thrive Street 2025 are now open. If you are running a small, growing and community or environmentally minded business that has reimagined a product or service in an innovative way, we want to hear from you.
Supporting brands
Chris Wood, general manager, SMB International, Worldpay, said: “The UK has a rich heritage of entrepreneurism and ingenuity, and at Worldpay we are dedicated to nurturing this spirit by empowering small businesses with the tools they need to grow. We are proud to support Thrive Street 2025 alongside Mastercard and Mary Portas, offering an opportunity for innovative independent businesses to redefine the retail landscape and showcase their unique offerings.”
Simon Forbes, Division President, UK & Ireland, Mastercard, also added: “Thrive Street 2025 is a celebration of commerce; connectivity and growth: in short the future of retail in the UK. I’m really looking forward to meeting and connecting with the businesses and entrepreneurs that Mary chooses and I’m really pleased that Mastercard UK is able to support them in their journey. At Mastercard, empowering small businesses to grow and thrive is at the heart of what we do, and this initiative is a perfect example of that commitment in action.”
Worldpay has been empowering UK small and growing businesses for decades with trusted, simple, and secure payment technology to meet the demands of the modern consumers in-store and online.
