ACS, the British Retail Consortium, Federation of Small Businesses, Positive Money and Responsible Finance are urging the Chancellor to use next week’s Budget to secure long-term access to cash across the UK.

16 Conservative MPs have supported  action on access to cash in a private letter to the Chancellor submitted today (Thursday). The letter outlines that to secure long-term access to cash, the Chancellor should use his Budget to:

•             Reverse the cuts to interchange fees paid by banks to fund the network

The Department for Transport has announced plans to require fuel retailers to offer the E10 fuel grade from 2021.

Organisations representing thousands of businesses have written to the Chancellor, called on him to push ahead with business rates reform in the Budget on March 11^th.

Today (3rd March) the Government published its coronavirus action plan which provides information on what further action can be expected from the Government in response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Book your place at the ACS Crime Seminar, taking place on 10th March, from 9:30am to 12pm at the Conrad St James Hotel in Westminster.

The Crime Seminar will begin with the launch of ACS’ Crime Report 2020 and will give an exclusive first look at the findings before a discussion with a panel of police, retailers and industry experts.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is urging all convenience store retailers in Wales to ensure that their business is compliant with the new Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) regulations which came into force today.

From today (2nd March), all licensed premises, including convenience stores, must comply with the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018. This means that retailers must not sell alcohol below 50p per unit.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is encouraging retailers to get involved in their campaign in collaboration with Alzheimer’s Society to create 25,000 Dementia Friends in the convenience sector.

The campaign coincides with ACS’ 25th anniversary and aims to create 25,000 Dementia Friends in the convenience sector to help customers, colleagues and communities affected by dementia.

ACS has called on the Government to get on with its fundamental review of business rates after broadly dismissing recommendations made by the Treasury Select Committee.

The Government’s official response to the Treasury Select Committee’s inquiry on business rates, published today, defends the operation of the current business rates system and commits to the Committee’s concerns being dealt with as part of an upcoming fundamental review.

Issues raised by the Treasury Select Committee as part of their inquiry include:

During a debate on the second reading of the Environment Bill, MPs have echoed concerns raised by ACS about the details of the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme in England and Wales.

Speaking during the debate, Mark Pawsey MP said: “We need to consider the number of return points, whether cafes and restaurants will be included, and if the scheme will provide an exemption for small retailers who lack the space to install a reverse vending machine, and there are serious questions for the Minister about who’s going to pay for it.”

Perhaps the most compelling narrative from the 2019 election was of people living outside of big cities and the South East, conveying a sense of chronic under-investment in the fabric of their towns, villages, estates and neighbourhoods. If Britain’s future after leaving the EU is going to be built from these communities up,  pretty good place to start is with the businesses that have kept on serving these places where others have left.