ACS’ unmissable political event, Heart of the Community 2016, will take place on 11th October at Church House in Westminster, offering retailers the chance to voice their concerns through unrivalled access to key MPs and Ministers.
ACS and Centrepoint Team Up on Retail Apprenticeships
The trade association representing local shops, and one of Britain’s biggest charities supporting young people have teamed up to offer apprenticeships in the convenience store sector. ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) which represents the UK’s 50,000 convenience stores employing 390,000 people, is working with Centrepoint to give these businesses easy access to the system of apprenticeships which is at the heart of the government’s skills strategy.
Centrepoint will work with ACS and its members to:
Local Shops More Relevant Than Ever, But Jobs Cut as Wage Hikes Take Toll
The 2016 Local Shop Report has revealed the essential role that convenience stores play in the modern retail landscape, with stores more relevant than ever before in consumer’s lives.
Published today by the Association of Convenience Stores, the report demonstrates the value that local shops provide their communities, both in terms of investment and making a positive difference to their local area. Key findings from the report include:
ACS Speaks Up for Community Retailers During Lords Committee; Urges Tougher Action on Duty Fraud
ACS chief executive James Lowman has called on the House of Lords Licensing Act Committee to retain the current licensing objectives as part of an evidence session in Parliament, urging the Committee to focus on retailers that are not abiding by the law instead of imposing new restrictions on responsible retailers.
One Week Left Until Introduction of £5 Polymer Bank Notes
All retailers that handle cash must prepare their business ahead of the introduction of the new £5 polymer note, which will enter circulation on 13 September 2016.
The new bank note will be printed on polymer, which is a thin flexible plastic material. Polymer notes last longer, stay cleaner and are harder to counterfeit than paper notes.
ACS Urges Lords to Retain Current Licensing Act Objectives
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has submitted evidence to the House of Lords Licensing Act Committee, urging the Committee to retain the current Licensing Act objectives and look at ways to reduce the regulatory burdens on retailers brought on by the Act.
In the submission, ACS outlines a number of ways in which the Licensing Act could be improved for licensees, including:
DCLG Launches Best Twitter Shop Competition
The Department for Communities and Local Government has launched a Best Shop on Twitter category as part of the Great British High Street competition.
By joining forces with Twitter UK, the GBHS award aims to unveil independent shops that are successfully using Twitter as a way to promote their business and drive footfall to their local high street.