January 2015

Jan 30

ACS Launches ‘Election Centre’ in the Countdown to the General Election

As the UK counts down to the General Election on 7th May, ACS have launched a new section of its website, the Election Centre, to keep retailers informed of the announcements that matter to small businesses.

The Election Centre, located under the ‘Lobbying’ tab on www.acs.org.uk’s menu bar, will showcase the store visits that retailers have organised across the UK, as well as providing information about how the major parties line up on key issues, political announcements and feedback from retailers on how they’re planning to vote.

Read More
Jan 28

ACS Supports Proposed Age Restriction for E-Cigarettes

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a consultation by the Department of Health, supporting the proposed restriction of 18 years of age for the sale of nicotine inhaling products, such as electronic cigarettes.

The proposed regulations would make it an offence to sell nicotine inhaling products to anyone under the age of 18 and make ‘proxy purchasing’ – adults buying the product for an individual under age – of e-cigarettes illegal.

Read More
Jan 28

Top Retailer Rajan Vaish invites Local MP Yvonne Fovargue to visit his Hindley Store

Rajan Vaish, has met local MP, Yvonne Fovargue, in his Nisa store in Wigan to discuss some of the key issues that have been affecting his business ahead of the general election in May.

Rajan’s Nisa store in Hindley is a fixture of local community life employing 10 people and providing retail and post office services to the local community.

Across Ms Fovargue’s Makerfield constituency there are 56 convenience stores employing over 420 people and ACS, the voice of local shops, is calling for four policies that would make a difference for local shops.

Read More
Jan 27

ACS Calls on Sentencing Council to Consider Business Impact in Decisions

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to the Sentencing Council’s consultation on robbery guidelines, calling for operation disruption in store to be included in the harm factors for sentencing.

The Sentencing Council are consulting on which factors should be considered when dealing out sentences for offenders, with a focus on understanding the impact on a business.

Statistics from the ACS Crime Report (2014) show that there were over 2,400 robberies in 2013 and over 7,000 incidents of violence resulting in injury.

Read More
Jan 27

Simon Wright MP Pledges Support for Local Shops

Norwich South MP Simon Wright met with local retailer Nigel Dowdney at his Earlham Shopper store on 23rd January to discuss some of the key issues that have recently been affecting Nigel’s business.

Nigel invited Mr Wright to visit his store in Norwich to highlight the important role that local shops play in their communities. During their meeting, the pair discussed a variety of concerns Nigel currently has, including the 2014 changes to Statutory Sick Pay, local planning issues and the implementation of standardised tobacco packaging.

Read More
Jan 26

MPs Urged to Support Convenience Store Development in Empty Pubs

ACS has urged MPs to support the development of new convenience stores ahead of a debate on pub conversions.

In a statement, the Department for Communities and Local Government said that they plan to ‘bring forward secondary legislation at the earliest opportunity so that in England the listing of a pub as an Asset of Community Value will trigger a removal of the national permitted development rights for the change of use or demolition of those pubs that communities have identified as providing the most community benefit.’

Read More
Jan 26

ACS to Showcase a Host of Inspiring Ideas at Summit 15

ACS is set to launch the new and highly inspirational ‘Battle of the Best’ section for their Summit 15 conference on 21st April 2015. The annual event, to be held at the NEC in Birmingham, will showcase multiple innovative and motivating convenience ideas from all over the UK.

Read More
Jan 23

ACS Calls for Clarity on Fireworks Regulations

ACS has responded to the Department for Business’ consultation on the introduction of new regulations from a EU Directive for businesses who sell fireworks, calling for clarity on the burdens that retailers will face under the new rules.

The consultation concerns the 2013 Pyrotechnics and Traceability Directive, which will impose new obligations on retailers selling fireworks, including record keeping requirements.

Read More
Jan 22

Minister Announces Plain Packaging Vote Ahead of General Election

The Government has confirmed that a vote on the introduction of standardised tobacco packaging will take place before Parliament breaks ahead of the General Election.

Health Minister Jane Ellison announced during an evening adjournment debate on Wednesday that the measures would be laid before parliament.

Read More
Jan 21

Enter the APPSSG Best Small Shops Competition Today!

ACS is encouraging retailers to enter to the search for the UK's best small shop as part of a competition organised by the All Party Parliamentary Small Shops Group.

APPSSG Chairman Simon Danczuk MP said: “We are looking for the best small shops in the UK to come forward and tell us the great work they do to serve their communities and create jobs in the economy. Grocers, Delis, Booksellers, Music Shops all have the chance to tell us why they are the best small retailer.”

Read More