News

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has called on the Government to implement a series of measures on business rates, employment costs and duty rates to help local shops and other small businesses.

In its submission ahead of the Chancellor’s first Autumn Budget on 22^nd November, ACS has reiterated its calls for an overhaul of the business rates system, with urgent attention required to allow businesses to appeal their rates.

The submission calls for:

Heart of the Community 2017 is just a few weeks away, where High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP will address retailers on the Government's plans to help high streets and small businesses.

Jake Berry was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government on 14^th June after retaining his Rossendale and Darwen seat in the 2017 General Election. His responsibilities include local growth policies, Local Enterprise Partnerships, community rights and high streets.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores)has raised concerns about the complexity of proposals to track the progress of legitimate tobacco products through the supply chain.  

New draft regulations from the EU Commission would require UK retailers and wholesalers to register and pay to receive unique ‘identifier codes’ in order to sell tobacco products.

ACS has welcomed Local Government Minister Marcus Jones’ intervention to speed up the process of rebilling businesses that are waiting for rate relief.

In a Commons statement, he said: “The Government has been consistently clear that it expects local authorities to make rapid progress in helping business by implementing these relief schemes.

The Environmental Audit Committee has relaunched its inquiry into disposable coffee cups and plastic bottles, looking at ways to reduce the level of waste created by those products. 

ACS has reiterated its concerns about a possible deposit return scheme for bottles and cans, outlining the problems that a scheme would cause for retailers and urging the Government to focus on effective measures to increase recycling rates.

Britain’s new £10 polymer note has entered circulation today. Over one billion of the notes have now been printed and issued, meaning we will begin to see them in our wallets and tills over the next few weeks.

The polymer note features raised dots in the top left corner, which have been included to help blind and partially sighted users to identify the value of the note.

ACS has welcomed comments from the Earl of Lytton in a House of Lords debate on the government’s Check, Challenge, Appeal system for business rates appeals.

During the debate, the Earl raised concerns about the processes that businesses had to go through just to access the check, challenge, appeal system, suggesting that they were ‘excessive and intrusive’.

There are just three days to go until the new polymer £10 note enters circulation. 

The note, which will be issued on 14 September 2017, features Jane Austen and is 132mm x 69mm. The current paper £10 note features Charles Darwin and is 142mm x 75mm.

The paper £10 will be withdrawn from circulation in Spring 2018. Notice will be given 3 months prior to the withdrawal date.

As with any change in banknote design, all businesses that handle cash need to plan and prepare for the introduction of the new notes.

The number of jobs in the UK convenience store sector has fallen for the second consecutive year as retailers are forced to adapt to cost increases in their businesses.

The 2017 Local Shop Report, released today, shows that there are now just over 370,000 jobs in the convenience sector – a reduction on both last year’s total of 390,000 and 2015’s total of 407,000.

Key findings from this year’s report include: