Local MPs Support Specialist Shops

5.33.40pm GMT Thu 24th Mar 2005

Stockport's two Liberal Democrat MPs are backing a Bill in the House of Commons to protect the future of small shops across Stockport.

Their campaign follows publication of new figures that suggest that since 1997 over 20,000 specialist shops, including bakeries, butchers and corner shops have closed.

Member of Parliament for Cheadle, Patsy Calton commented:

"Small shops are the very life blood of our community here in Cheadle, where they provide a diverse range of goods and services to local people.

"Small neighbourhood shops are particularly important to those who cannot get to out of town stores, such as the elderly and those without transport."

Hazel Grove MP, Andrew Stunell added:

"It is a sad fact that small shops have been closing at an estimated rate of 50 per week under Labour, with many local shopping parades becoming ghost towns.

"We must act now to save small retailers across Stockport from having to permanently shut up shop, which is why I am backing the Small Shops (Protection) Bill.

Notes to Editors:

1) The Small Shops (Protection) Bill is a Ten Minute Rule Bill which was introduced in the House of Commons by Liberal Democrat Small Business Spokesperson Brian Cotter on Tuesday 8th February.

The Small Shops (Protection) Bill would create a more level playing field for independent retailers by:

• Requiring local authorities to develop sustainable retail plans to support small shops.

• Giving local communities the final word on whether to allow the construction of a large shopping centre exceeding a certain size.

• Requiring local authorities to track local spending and favour local retailers whose businesses leave more money re-circulating in the local economy.

• Providing rate relief to small shops to redress the disproportionate burden that business rates place upon them, whereby the smallest retailers can currently pay more of their profits in rates than the largest supermarket chains.

2) The New Economics Foundation Report, 'Ghost Town Britain II: Death on the High Street' (2002) concluded that between 1997 and 2002, small shops closed at a rate of 50 per week.

http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/2hk0dtqtzv0run55afsofu4515122003114309.pdf

The Foundation also says that based on current trends, Britain will have lost a third of its neighbourhood stores by 2010.

Assuming that small specialist shops have continued to close at a rate of 50 per week since 1997, this means that almost 20,800 shops have closed since Labour came to power.