Press Releases

A group of organisations have issued Government with notice to legally challenge their decision to press ahead with proposals to change Sunday trading regulations.

The Government has been issued with a letter before action from the Keep Sunday Special group, setting out plans for a future Judicial Review on the proposals to devolve Sunday trading regulations to local authorities. The letter argues that the Government has not carried out a genuine, unbiased consultation process.

The key elements raised in the letter include:

ACS has branded a report published today by Grant Shapps MP as partial, unconvincing and based on old data that has already been discredited during the government's consultation on this issue. The report (http://www.shapps.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Sunday-Trading-for-the…) argues for extending Sunday trading hours.

ACS has called on MPs to reject an amendment tabled in the Enterprise Bill on Sunday Trading that will damage the economy and devastate small shops.

The Department for Business published its response to The consultation this morning, summarising over 7,000 responses in what amounts to a 12-page advocacy document for liberalisation.

Plans to devolve Sunday trading regulations to local authorities have been condemned by the Association of Convenience Stores as damaging to high streets.

Government have confirmed that they intend to press ahead with devolution of Sunday trading, despite widespread opposition from MPs on both sides of the House.

During the second reading debate of the Enterprise Bill this afternoon (Tuesday), Business Minister Sajid Javid announced that plans to deregulate Sunday Trading hours will be added to the Bill during Committee Stage.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has called on the Chancellor to reintroduce the Retail Rate Relief scheme for small businesses as part of a package of measures to help local shops and high streets.

In its submission to the Chancellor’s Budget on March 16^th, ACS has called for the following:

The Office for National Statistics have released its annual figures on shoplifting, revealing the highest volume of shop theft since the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in 2003.

The figures show that there were over 9,000 more incidents of shop theft in the year ending September 2015 when compared with the previous year. While most offences recorded by the NCRS have seen steady decline, shop theft has slowly risen over recent years.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has briefed MPs on the impact of the introduction of the National Living Wage ahead of a delegated legislation committee debate on the topic today (Monday).

ACS has welcomed the announcement of a Communities and Local Government Select Committee inquiry into the Government’s proposals to devolve rate setting powers to local authorities.

The Inquiry will examine the Government's proposals to allow local authorities to retain 100 per cent of the full stock of business rates by 2020, to cut business rates, and for directly elected mayors to add a premium to business rates to pay for new infrastructure projects.

The Association of Convenience Stores has reacted to the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, welcoming the extension of small business rate relief but raising concerns about business rates devolution and the lack of detail on overall rate reform.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to extending small business rate relief in 2016; this is a measure that helps businesses to the tune of over £1bn each year and is essential in giving local shops the opportunity to invest in their staff, property and services.