News

If you haven’t noticed, this has been a hell of a week.  The chancellor has announced some radical changes in policy, and two of these – devolving Sunday trading decisions and introducing a national living wage – have huge implications for our sector.  Both of these were unexpected and not included in the Conservatives’ manifesto.

The Association of Convenience Stores has criticised the Government’s decision to introduce a mandatory living wage for workers over 25 as a reckless measure that will have a significant negative impact on the sector.

The Association of Convenience Stores has heavily criticised plans introduced in the Budget to allow local authorities to decide whether to remove Sunday Trading rules.

During today’s Budget, the Chancellor confirmed that the Government will seek to devolve powers to change Sunday Trading rules to local authorities as part of the Enterprise Bill.

Local shops have condemned Government plans to give major towns and cities the power to remove Sunday Trading regulations, warning that the move will be complicated, ineffective at increasing trade on the high street and would threaten the livelihoods of convenience store owners.

There is less than two weeks left to enter your local area into this year’s Great British High Street Competition.

After the success of last year’s competition, the Great British High Street Competition is back and aims to find the best high streets across England, Scotland and Wales with the winners getting a share of a £50,000 cash prize.

The Great British High Street brand was set up by the Future High Streets Forum in 2014 to help encourage footfall to town centres by increasing positive sentiment towards local high streets.

The All Party Parliamentary Small Shops Group has confirmed its’ officers for the current Parliament. Simon Danczuk MP will continue as Chair of the group and Luke Hall, a new intake Conservative MP for Thonbury and Yate, taking the position of Vice Chair.

This week we took a trip over the Severn Bridge to the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff for a meeting of the Cross Party Group on Small Shops.  As with All Party Groups in Westminster, these groups can provide a useful focal point for discussing issues relating to particularly industries or issues, and before I forget, here is more information on the inquiry being led by the Small Shops Group in Westminster into Britain’s Everyday Entrepreneurs, which we helped launch in June.

Economy, Science and Transport Minister Edwina Hart AM has addressed  the Welsh Cross Party Small Shops’ annual reception, commending the economic and social contribution of local shops in Wales.

Speaking at the reception, which was attended by retailers from across Wales along with representatives from the Association of Convenience Stores and the Independent Retail Confederation, the Minister outlined that she wanted to work with the group more closely and understand the challenges faced by small shops.

New figures released today by the Association of Convenience Stores have shown that convenience retailers have invested £177m in their businesses in the period between February and May 2015.

Overall, more than one in four stores (28%) surveyed said that they were planning to invest in their store, an increase on both 2014 (24%) and 2013 (21%).

Regionally, more stores are planning to make investments in the South West of England than anywhere else in the UK (35% making some investment), while the lowest levels were found in the North West with 22% making investments.

Simon Danczuk MP, Chairman of the All Party Small Shops Group, has launched a new inquiry looking at the importance of Britain’s Everyday Entrepreneurs and what they need to thrive.

The Inquiry is calling for evidence on three areas: