Retail experts have reacted to Labour's five-point plan to
revitalise Britain's cherished high streets.
The party has pledged to use the “full force of a Labour
government” to rescue retailers with a plan to: tackle antisocial
behaviour and shoplifting; roll out banking hubs; replace
business rates; stamp out late payments to small businesses; and
revamp empty shops, pubs, and community spaces.
Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and
Pub Association, said:
"Pubs are a vital part of so many high streets across the country
and without support there is a risk that these much-loved
community hubs will be lost. It is positive to see the Labour
Party developing ideas to address some of the issues these
businesses face and help pubs to remain at the heart of high
streets and communities.
"The existing unfair system of business rates penalises our
community pubs to the tune of £500 million a year and a long-term
solution to this problem is badly needed allowing our businesses
the ability to invest in people and places.”
Allen Simpson, Deputy Chief Executive of UKHospitality,
said:
“Hospitality helps create places where people want to live, work
and invest, but too often policy makes it expensive to run
businesses in the heart of communities. We're pleased to see
this focus on high streets and fixing the broken business rates
system.”
Paul Gerrard, Campaigns, Public Affairs and Board
Secretariat Director, The Co-operative Group, said:
“Co-op has a shop in almost every community in the country and so
we absolutely recognise the vital role of the high street both
economically and socially. We all know that boarded up shops are
an indicator of communities facing tough times. We welcome this
focus on supporting bricks and mortar retailers and in particular
the commitment to addressing crime and fixing our broken system
of Business Rates, both of which we believe would make a
difference.”
James Timpson OBE, Chief Executive of Timpson Group,
said:
"With over 800 shops on high streets up and down the UK, and a
presence in hundreds of other areas through our shops and pods in
supermarkets, I know the vital role a thriving high street plays
in the social and economic wellbeing of communities right across
the country.
“Labour's announcement today rightly identifies some of the
challenges our high streets face but provides a solid plan to
improve their health and provide businesses like mine with the
conditions to succeed. In particular, I welcome Labour's
commitment to reform business rates, which for too long has been
blighted with short-term fixes and placed far too heavy a burden
on high street retailers, and I believe their plan to tackle
empty premises will rejuvenate declining high streets all over
the country."
Jo Causon, CEO of The Institute of Customer Service,
said:
“It is encouraging to see Labour's strong commitment to address
the continuing challenges the UK's high streets face –
particularly tackling the abuse of frontline workers, for which
we have been campaigning for many years.
“Our Service with Respect campaign - supported by 300 businesses
and Parliamentarians – helped bring about tougher sentencing in
2022. However, abuse of public-facing workers continues to impact
every industry sector, from call centre agents to banking staff
and transport workers. It's vital that all political parties keep
this issue front and centre to ensure instances of staff abuse
are reported and acted on appropriately.”
Fiona Graham, Chief Advocacy Officer at Family Business
UK, said:
“We welcome the scope and ambition of Labour's Plan for Small
Business. This package of measures shows that the party is
serious about tackling the challenges that our small businesses
face every day, many of which are family-run firms, forming the
backbone of their local economies.
“In particular, we are pleased by Labour's intentions to reform
the current system of Business Rates, which all too often works
to the detriment of our family businesses present on the high
street and puts them at a disadvantage against digital companies.
Furthermore, taking action to crack down on late payments will go
some way to alleviating the pressures on our family firms, for
which late payments can have devastating consequences.
“We look forward to hearing more details on these proposals and
working with the party to ensure that they work for the
betterment of our family firms in all corners of the UK.”
Anabel Kindersley, CEO Neal's Yard Remedies,
said:
"For communities to thrive we need our high streets to flourish,
this is difficult when shops are boarded up and retail teams are
affected by shoplifters and threatening behaviour. Labour's plans
to increase neighbourhood policing and remove barriers to
investigate shoplifting are welcome measures to support our
retail teams. And plans to give communities the ability to revamp
high streets and empty shops are a welcome step in the right
direction."
Dee Corsi, Chief Executive, New West End Company,
said:
“The news today that Labour has committed to a much-needed reform
of the unwieldly business rates systems will be welcomed by
businesses across the country, including larger high street
retailers in the West End who continue to be squeezed by an
outsized tax burden and challenging trading environment.
“High streets play a vital role in delivering economic value and
creating communities – whether they are international flagship
destinations like the West End, or local shopping districts. The
acknowledgement of this today by Labour is encouraging,
particularly the focus on tackling anti-social behaviour and
reforming the costly business rates system. Of course, these
measures must now be developed in close consultation with
businesses across the nation to ensure that they work in practice
and are not yet another sticking plaster for the U.K.'s high
streets.”
Charles Begley, Chief Executive, London Property
Alliance, said:
“The long-term reform of business rates is hugely welcome. This
unsustainable and complex tax disproportionately impacts
bricks-and-mortar retailers which are vital for the health and
wealth of our high streets – and creates an unlevel playing field
with online businesses. Better support for the hospitality and
retail sectors, including those in central London which are
additionally penalised with the high costs of operating in the
capital, would help keep create jobs and prosperity.”
Steve Makartis, UK CEO of NoteMachine, a Brinks Company,
said:
"Cash is a vital payment method for millions of consumers and
small businesses across the UK and it is essential we protect it.
NoteMachine has long championed continued access to cash and
banking facilities and we welcome Labour's ongoing commitment to
ensure face-to-face banking remains available on highstreets
across the country. Banking hubs are a clear solution to
declining access therefore collaboration between government, the
regulator, industry and communities is needed to make sure these
facilities can be rolled out to those who need them. We look
forward to being part of this in the future."
Muntazir Dipoti, National President of the Federation of
Independent Retailers (the Fed), said:
“These policies show that Labour has not just been listening to
the concerns of independent retailers, but it is prepared to take
action that will help us address the myriad challenges that we
face.”
On tackling shop theft and anti-social
behaviour: “The Fed has long campaigned for tougher
action to be taken against retail crime. Shop theft and
anti-social behaviour is a daily blight on our businesses and our
lives, and it is reaching epidemic proportions. What's more,
neither are victimless. Both theft and anti-social
behaviour have significant implications for a store's viability
as well as on the wellbeing of store owners and their employees.
Gangs of youths gathering outside their local stores,
particularly at night, can be very intimidating, while repairing
damage such as broken windows and graffiti places an extra
financial burden on businesses that are already hard hit by
rising overheads. Sadly, I am sure that every member has been
affected by shop theft at some point and many incidents of
shoplifting are becoming increasingly violent. We therefore
welcome the commitments from Labour of 13,000 more bobbies on the
beat as well as the promise that all thefts – and not just those
over £200 – will be investigated.”
On business rates: “Life needs to be made easier
for shop owners. We need unduly administrative burdens
removed and excessive taxes that hinder small businesses to be
lowered. We are pleased that Labour is looking to reform business
rates as the current system harms physical retailers while
sparing those who operate online.”
