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.
Mr Wright said: “Stores like the Earlham Shopper sit at the heart of the communities they serve, and they know their customers really well. Nigel and his team are keen to go out of their way to help their customers, and this is shown through the variety of stock they keep in store.
“The Earlham Shopper will soon be celebrating its 25th year of trading, which emphasises just how well supported the store is by the local community. I was very pleased to meet with Nigel and ACS to discuss local and national issues affecting convenience stores.”
Mr Wright and Nigel discussed Nigel’s worries regarding planning regulations, at length, paying particular attention to the many large supermarkets which have been opening in several areas around Norwich, all of which are within a mile of each other.
At the end of the day, Nigel said: “It was great to have Simon drop into the store and see the great work we are doing to support the community. We had a valuable discussion about the number of supermarket developments being proposed in Norwich and whether there was the demand for more large-format supermarket sites.”
ACS encourages all members to build a relationship with their local MP. ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Businesses face many competing challenges, from rising rates and energy bills to increasing pressure from competitors. It is now more important than ever that MPs engage with their local small business community, and work to ensure Government cuts and new regulations will not harm small business or undermine consumer confidence.”
For help getting in contact with your store’s local MP, contact Julie Byers on 01252 533 008 or e-mail: [email protected].
