ACS

In the first event of its kind in the convenience industry, ACS members were joined by Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, Planning Minister Iain Wright and Philip Dunne MP for the inaugural Heart of the Community Seminar today.

The event brought together 160 delegates including local shop retailers from around the country and MPs from each of the political parties and was aimed at highlighting the importance of community retailing and the vital role that local shops play.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “This event has been a fantastic opportunity for retailers to hear from MPs and ask them about their views on the issues that affect them. Retailers are at the forefront on many policy issues that are important to all the political parties and often police the laws that Government brings in. Local shops play a vital role in many communities and today gave the opportunity to demonstrate this.”

Retailers heard from independent retailer and ACS Vice Chairman Jonathan James, ACS Chief Executive James Lowman and Professor Ian Clarke who presented findings from the ACS commissioned research into the evidence on the role of local shops. An MP round table session with David Kidney MP, Lorely Burt MP and Nigel Evans MP was opened to the floor and yielded a productive exchange of positive ideas and practical ways for retailers to engage with their local MPs.

Planning Minister Iain Wright said: "I want to see small shops thriving and a healthy future for our high streets. The balance has tipped too far creating high streets which are bland replicas of each other, dominated by big chains. Identikit high streets are squeezing out smaller shops. We need to protect smaller retailers threatened by increased competition and tougher trading conditions. Town centres first' (PPS6) is the right way forward and our revised Impact test will make it easier for councils to turn down developments if they threaten the vibrancy of the town centre."

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said: “Local shops really are at the absolute heart of their community, providing an invaluable service to local people. Retailers everywhere, like families, are feeling the squeeze as we enter into a recession, so it is vital that we remember that small shops are important to communities, to customers and to the economy."

Philip Dunne MP, Chairman of the Retail Group of Conservative Business Relations who has hands-on experience of the pressures on High Streets through his former chairmanship of a major independent bookseller, said: "I am well aware of the challenges being faced by all retailers in the present economic climate. Pressures on local shops serving local communities are often even more intense with limited opportunities to diversify or spread costs. The Commission on Small Shops in the High Street on which I was a member earlier this year put forward a number of measures to help traders thrive and share best practice.

“I also took the opportunity to invite contributions to the Retail Crime Commission, which I am pleased to be chairing, to look into measures to tackle this threat to livelihoods and staff in our stores.”

Lorely Burt MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform who took part in an MP round table discussion with David Kidney MP and Nigel Evans MP, said: “Government must support convenience stores by ensuring they have a level playing field to trade on. This includes ensuring that banks who have been bailed out by the taxpayer pass on fair credit terms, that small business rate relief is paid and ending the practice of upward-only rent reviews.”