The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) met with Matt Vickers MP at Middleton St George Post Office and Londis store run by Shailendra and Versha Soti, in his Stockton West constituency on Saturday (6 June).
Mr Soti explained that the retail landscape was harder than ever a year after he took on ownership of the Londis store, expressing concern about the challenges caused by higher business rates following April’s changes and revaluation, rising electricity bills and incidents of retail crime.
Business rates rose for many small businesses in April following the loss of Small Business Rates Relief and a major revaluation in the value of businesses which help set rates bills.
High energy bills also remain a prime concern for the Fed’s members, given the war in Iran and uncertainty about energy supply. The Fed has been working to ensure there is greater political awareness of these issues which are hurting the financial bottom line of independent retailers across the country.
Mr Soti said: “I’d like to thank Matt Vickers and his team for spending so much time talking to me and discussing the rising difficulties involved with running a small independent retail business. I spoke about the range of rising costs including higher business rates and energy bills.”
Vickers has a long-standing interest in retail, having worked in the sector before he went into Parliament and later serving as Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Future of Retail after he was elected to Westminster in December 2019.
In June last year, Vickers met with the Fed’s then national president, Mo Razzaq, and other senior Fed members in Parliament in his capacity as Shadow Crime & Policing Minister where they discussed the challenge of high theft and harassment levels facing Fed members.
Vickers (left) said: “It was great to speak with Shailendra and his team in Middleton St George. It’s clear that the shop and Post Office are real focal points for people in the village who rely on it for such a vast range of key services and products including everything from postal, payment, package, newspaper, greeting cards, coffees and the usual range of convenience products.
“Whilst it was positive to hear that retail crime is less of a challenge here compared to other shops, I remain concerned about the range of bills - including higher business rate bills, energy costs and more. I look forward to working with the Fed to ensure the concerns of retailers like Shailendra and Versha are heard in Parliament in the months ahead.”
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