ACS is calling on retailers to provide their views on staff training and the issues that they face when dealing with compliance in store.
The survey only takes a few minutes to complete and will help ACS to understand what training needs members have, and what role ACS can play in meeting these.
ACS is challenging retailers to take part in an exciting new section of their Summit 15 conference on 21st April 2015. The annual event, to be held at the NEC in Birmingham, will showcase hundreds of innovative convenience ideas from all over the world, and ACS is asking its members to send in their own photos to be part of it.
ACS is calling on retailers to take part in the Government’s first ever Community Clear Up Day on Saturday 21st March. The ‘national spring clean’ will aim to clear the country’s high streets, residential and business areas, villages and parks of litter.
Recent figures suggest councils in England spend more than £800 million every year on street cleaning. Government ministers are encouraging people to make this a fun activity, bringing groups together with a common interest as well as freeing up millions of pounds that can be spent on other vital public services.
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.
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.’
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.
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.”
Following the huge response to the Great British High Streets competition towns and villages are being urged to make one of their resolutions to enter this year’s awards.
The decision to extend the scheme, which will give people another chance to showcase their wares and share tips for success with others, was down to the enthusiasm for the awards shown by traders, businesses and local communities.
Research shows that more than half of the public (55%) find it difficult to support local small firms because often these businesses aren’t online. In fact, figures show that as many as 2 million (39%) sole traders and small companies are missing out on business because they have no online presence. In addition, over half of customers (52%) go straight to search engines when looking to buy from local businesses, nearly double the number that ask for word-of-mouth recommendations.
ACS has welcomed the simplified process for personal licence renewals set out by the Home Office ahead of the implementation of the Deregulation Bill.
The Deregulation Bill, which is currently before Parliament, intends to scrap the requirement for personal licence holders to renew their licence every ten years. However, the passing of this Bill will be after the ten year renewal point for those who were granted their licence in early 2005, so those holders will need to renew their licence.
