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) and SGF (the Scottish Grocers Federation) have issued a joint call to MSPs urging them to retain the Uniform Business Rate, highlighting the impact that it would have on convenience retailers if business rates were devolved.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has responded to a call for views launched by the Scottish Parliament Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee on the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill.
The Bill aims to increase protection for retail workers by:
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is working with the Alzheimer’s Society to create 25,000 Dementia Friends in the convenience sector to help customers, colleagues and communities affected by dementia.
As part of the campaign, ACS is running a number of regional face-to-face training events which are free for members to attend.
ACS has joined forces with Scotland’s leading business representative groups and sectoral trade associations in a joint letter to MSPs, urging them to vote to retain the Uniform Business Rate.
The 26 organisations represent a wide cross section of Scottish industry including manufacturing, retail, property, tourism, hospitality and leisure.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has launched a campaign in collaboration with Alzheimer’s Society to help convenience retailers and colleagues better understand and support customers living with dementia.
Launched today (15th January), 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.
Summit20 is an unmissable event for anyone involved with the convenience sector, bringing together retailers, suppliers, and industry experts from around the world to explore the successes and challenges of the industry and discuss new ideas retailers can walk away with.
This year's event, taking place on March 31st at the Vox in Birmingham, will focus on two of the biggest questions facing the convenience sector in the future, looking at whether convenience stores are primarily food retailers, and how the role of colleagues is changing in store.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed an announcement from the Welsh Government which has confirmed an extension to the High Streets and Retail Rate Relief scheme for 2020-21.
As part of the scheme, retail properties with a rateable value up to £9,100 will have a rates bill of zero and properties with a rateable value of up to £50,000 can receive up to £2,500 off of their business rates bill.
ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has submitted evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Communities and Local Government Committee, raising concerns about the negative impact that localising business rates would have on convenience retailers.
Andy Wightman MSP has tabled an amendment to the Non Domestic Rates(Scotland) Bill which would allow local authorities to set the poundage rate and impose additional levies and supplements on retailers. The amendment could effectively abolish nationally-set reliefs including the Small Business Bonus Scheme.
Convenience retailers are responding with caution to continued uncertainty around the Brexit process and the upcoming General Election by delaying and scaling back on investments in their stores over the last year.
Figures from the Association of Convenience Stores’ Investment Tracker show that in the 12 months to November 2019, the UK’s 46,000 local shops have invested £558m in their businesses, down from £737m in the previous year – a year on year decline of 24%.
