Liberal Democrats join ACS in calling for Small Shop Sector Support
22 Sep 2006
Liberal Democrat front bencher Dan Rogerson MP told a packed fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrats Annual Conference that local shops are key to bringing communities together and that National and local Government has a role to play in ensuring the policies encourage a vibrant independent shop sector.
He said “Small shops are vital to healthy sustainable communities and I was encouraged to hear how much people value them and ideas for including them in new neighbourhood shops in urban regeneration schemes. Ultimately the message is that local shops are vitally important and we must use them or lose them.”
60 delegates also heard the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) tell the meeting that the Competition Commission has a “once in a generation chance” to level the uneven playing field in the grocery market. James Lowman, ACS Director of Public Affairs told activists: “We believe that the grocery market is dominated by scale not skill. The largest retailers have buying power that they can use to undermine local competition. They can also dominate the planning system and by using agreements with local authorities to include local facilities in the planning permission for a new store.
“We need more powers for local authorities to tackle the aggressive expansion plans of the superstores where they are not required in the local community. Proposals from the Barker review to liberalise planning law are not the answer. Giving superstores more opportunities to build would only promote their market power at the expense of local shops and consumer choice.”
Sandra Bell, supermarkets campaigner for Friends of the Earth who shared the platform with ACS and Dan Rogerson, challenged Tesco to withdraw planning applications when local people were opposed to them. In response to a claim from Tesco Corporate Affairs Manager Michael Kissman that Tesco listened to local people, Ms Bell said: “We will believe that the day that Tesco voluntarily withdraw an application when local polls show that it is not wanted.”
Nigel Dowdney, independent retailer from Norfolk that attended the event said: “It is really heartening to know that the issues that concern me as a retailer are shared by Liberal Democrats political activists, Councillors and MPs. It makes you realize that we are not alone in arguing the case for change in Government and local policy.”
The event was the first of three fringe events, with one being held at each of the main party conferences. This year’s events builds on last year’s successful debut for ACS at the party conferences, an initiative widely viewed as having helped to lay the foundations for the OFT’s review of the grocery market to the Competition Commission.
Contacts
Michael Saxton / Julie Kirby – Grappa
020 7486 4448
Notes to editors
1. The event “Your Local Shop: Its Future?” took place on Wednesday 19th September at the Hilton Hotel, Brighton
2. Further events are planned at Labour Party Conference on Wednesday 27th September at Radisson Hotel, Manchester (12.45pm – 2pm) and at Conservative Party Conference on 4th October 2006 at Highcliffe Hotel, Bournemouth (12:30pm -2pm)
He said “Small shops are vital to healthy sustainable communities and I was encouraged to hear how much people value them and ideas for including them in new neighbourhood shops in urban regeneration schemes. Ultimately the message is that local shops are vitally important and we must use them or lose them.”
60 delegates also heard the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) tell the meeting that the Competition Commission has a “once in a generation chance” to level the uneven playing field in the grocery market. James Lowman, ACS Director of Public Affairs told activists: “We believe that the grocery market is dominated by scale not skill. The largest retailers have buying power that they can use to undermine local competition. They can also dominate the planning system and by using agreements with local authorities to include local facilities in the planning permission for a new store.
“We need more powers for local authorities to tackle the aggressive expansion plans of the superstores where they are not required in the local community. Proposals from the Barker review to liberalise planning law are not the answer. Giving superstores more opportunities to build would only promote their market power at the expense of local shops and consumer choice.”
Sandra Bell, supermarkets campaigner for Friends of the Earth who shared the platform with ACS and Dan Rogerson, challenged Tesco to withdraw planning applications when local people were opposed to them. In response to a claim from Tesco Corporate Affairs Manager Michael Kissman that Tesco listened to local people, Ms Bell said: “We will believe that the day that Tesco voluntarily withdraw an application when local polls show that it is not wanted.”
Nigel Dowdney, independent retailer from Norfolk that attended the event said: “It is really heartening to know that the issues that concern me as a retailer are shared by Liberal Democrats political activists, Councillors and MPs. It makes you realize that we are not alone in arguing the case for change in Government and local policy.”
The event was the first of three fringe events, with one being held at each of the main party conferences. This year’s events builds on last year’s successful debut for ACS at the party conferences, an initiative widely viewed as having helped to lay the foundations for the OFT’s review of the grocery market to the Competition Commission.
Contacts
Michael Saxton / Julie Kirby – Grappa
020 7486 4448
Notes to editors
1. The event “Your Local Shop: Its Future?” took place on Wednesday 19th September at the Hilton Hotel, Brighton
2. Further events are planned at Labour Party Conference on Wednesday 27th September at Radisson Hotel, Manchester (12.45pm – 2pm) and at Conservative Party Conference on 4th October 2006 at Highcliffe Hotel, Bournemouth (12:30pm -2pm)