The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said that small, independent shops have been let down by the Competition Commission in its inquiry into the grocery sector.
Despite a committee of MPs estimating that 2,000 small shops are going out of business each year, the FSB said that the Competition Commission had failed to come up with any remedies that would halt the decline. Throughout the two-year investigation the FSB has been dismayed that the Competition Commission failed to consider the impact of supermarkets on independent retailing.
In response the FSB set up its wide-ranging Keep Trade Local campaign to highlight issues that the Competition Commission failed to address. The campaign also aims to raise awareness of the value that small, independent retailers provide to consumers. This includes local products, more personal service and speciality goods not available in supermarkets.
Clive Davenport, FSB Trade & Industry Chairman, said:
“During the course of three investigations in seven years the Competition Commission has consistently failed to understand the value to consumers of small independent shops. This latest inquiry has again missed the point.
“The remit of this inquiry was far too narrow. Supermarkets are forcing small shops out of business in many areas of retailing, not just groceries. Important issues such as the travesty of almost limitless free parking at out of town superstores while independent high street shops face ever-more stringent parking restrictions were not even considered.
“People up and down the country can see that we are losing our small shops, but this report does little to solve the problem. We are in danger of sleepwalking into the death of our high streets. The FSB has been left with no alternative but to campaign across the country and raise political awareness. It is now up to our elected representatives to step in and prevent disaster.”
“A consultant. You ask him the time, he borrows your watch and tells you.”
Local authorities in Scotland spent in excess of £67m on consultants last year, a rise of more than 30% on the previous year. The figures show East Renfrewshire spent £5,000 on secret shopping exercises, while Aberdeenshire spent £44,500 on teaching creativity, motivation skills, team-building, leadership and entrepreneurial skills to school pupils and a further £118,000 on weather forecasting consultants. Falkirk Council spent £3,000 on consultants over school timetables, while North Lanarkshire spent almost £1,000 to find out students’ perceptions of where they live.
I would like to know how consultants can be held to account when their advice and recommendations don’t live up to their promises. Many of them have a template mentality and hardly ever have a grasp of local issues.
For example in Dumbarton we are familiar with the EDAW consultancy which recommended the current traffic management scheme and promised to transform the town within five years. The most recent use of consultants by WDC was of Edinburgh firm Broadway Maylan who drew up a masterplan for Dumbarton. Just why we need another masterplan barely ten years after the last one I don’t know. Perhaps a team of consultants will be hired to tell us.
I’m delighted to say that the “Rediscovering Dumbarton” leaflet is now ready and it is looking good. The leaflet which has been supported by 37 advertisers and has been part funded by West Dunbartonshire Council, will be delivered to every home in Dumbarton and every council employee along with other strategic outlets starting in the first week in May.
The project was the idea of John Corcoran of Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce who are members of Business for Dumbarton. Without John’s hard work the project would not have come to fruition. John said, “I am delighted to have delivered on the promise we made to produce this leaflet. I am very pleased with the response from advertisers and would like to thank Kevin Neeson of West Dunbartonshire Council for his support for the project. Thirty thousand leaflets have been produced and as they contain useful phone numbers are likely to be kept by people over an extended period for reference. I sincerely hope that advertisers see a response for the faith they have placed in the project by taking an advert.”
Other images of the leaflet, click images to enlarge.
This is the second recent example of Business for Dumbarton working in association with Dumbarton Chamber of Commerce and West Dunbartonshire Council. Recently ten employees of town centre businesses, completed an SVQ in retailing at Tell Training. Every town centre retail business was given the opportunity to take part and we are keen to have further initiatives which will help develop business in Dumbarton Town Centre and High Street. Watch this space for future initiatives and don’t miss out on the next one!
On our consultation for our traffic management and action plans. Please feel free to comment on this site or email me at robert@ryanspets.fsnet.co.uk . You can also write to Business for Dumbarton c/o Ryans Pet Centre 157 High Street Dumbarton G82 1NZ. Hurry, the deadline is 30th April.
That is the name of the new campaign by the Federation of Small Businesses. Small businesses in the UK employ 58 percent of the UK’s private sector workforce. Together they contribute half of UK GDP and employ more than 12 million. It is estimated that 50,000 small businesses could disappear by 2015 if positive action is not taken now. To sign the FSB petition, CLICK HERE
The idea to keep trade local is one which the majority of people support in principal but more action is needed. It makes sense in terms of time, fuel and overall cost to shop local. The more money spent locally the more is re-invested in the local economy. This thought provoking short video from Friends of the Earth narrated by Alexei Sayle gives food for thought.
Business for Dumbarton welcomes the debate which has now opened up about the traffic management proposal we have put forward for consultation. SSP councillor Jim Bollan and independent George Black have pledged their conditional support on this site and this is encouraging. These two members would have an important role to play in the approval of any plan.
from left, Jim Bollan, George Black and David McBride.
I note also a quote from Labour’s councillor David McBride in this week’s Dumbarton Reporter. Councillor McBride asserts that the majority of people come to Dumbarton by bus and he is concerned that bus passengers would have to walk further under our plan. I would like to address these points. Eastbound we have proposed three bus stops which are all within easy reach of the High Street and the main stop would be in the vicinity of the proposed town square near the top of the Artizan Centre. Westbound we have proposed two stops, one of which is a few yards from the High Street (At Quay Street) and the other is actually on the High Street (The existing stop adjacent to the Bell Centre).
Councillor McBride is mistaken too to imply that a majority of town centre users arrive by bus. In the council’s own published figures (the Dumbarton Exhibition questionnaire in 2004 before the implementation of the current plan), 12% of people arrived by bus whilst 63% came by car. A total of 3% came by taxi. By adding the total of walkers, bus passengers, taxi users, train users and cyclists there is a total of 37%.
All our members now have details of the BfD Action Plan and Traffic Management proposal. It is now up to each member to get in touch with any points of view during the consultation which lasts until April 30th. I have clarified the traffic proposal at one point for the avoidance of confusion.
If you are leaving a comment on the site, it may not appear for a few days as I will not have normal internet access this week. Any comments however will be published. Other comments should be submitted in writing to Robert Ryan, Ryans Pet Centre 157 High Street Dumbarton G82 1NZ or by email to robert@ryanspets.fsnet.co.uk . Again I will receive your email and will reply but not until after 22nd April.
Good Luck to my friend Gilbert Lawrie who has just been appointed Chief Executive at Dumbarton F.C. When the local football club has success the whole town gets a lift, so Business for Dumbarton wishes him well. Gilbert has put in many many hours on the club’s behalf during a long association with them. I hope he can help turn things around at Strathclyde Homes Stadium and help get the “Sons” back where they belong in the top half of Scottish football.
The following is a brief list of measures to help increase footfall to Dumbarton Town Centre. It has been compiled in consultation with our members and is a concise, achievable action plan intended for implementation in the short term.
1) Identify a traffic management system, which meets the needs of all town centre users and reverse the decline in footfall, which has been a result of the current system.
2) Take whatever steps necessary and possible to encourage property factors and owners/ commercial tenants with frontages on the High Street to refurbish and renew.
3)Re-open the public toilets in Quay Street. This is one of the complaints we hear most. People do not like the “portaloo” on the quayside and it seems unfit for purpose. Often our members are left to provide toilet facilities for customers and their children. This is an unsatisfactory situation.
4)Look at the possibilities of providing permanent CCTV and other measures which will increase the safety and security of the area. This also would include an increase in street lighting, which several of our members have indicated as inadequate.
5)There should be better signage in approaches to Dumbarton (e.g. at Dumbuck and Barloan) to indicate the town centre. Dumbarton is the last town of any size on the A82 route north and more could be made of this.
6) Introduce a policy for to-let signs. The current forest of to let boards adds to the gloomy nature of the town. We ask that WDC consult with letting agents to have to-let or for sale signs displayed in the windows of properties with a suitable backing (e.g brown paper). We also understand that discussion has also already taken place to try to facilitate a system whereby there could be a local point for potential tenants to collect keys to view vacant properties. This is a measure we fully support.
This wonderful video is by Dumbarton man Tommy Crockett. Anyone who has a feeling for the town could not fail to have a little emotion whilst watching this. We must look forward but it doesn’t do any harm to remember Dumbarton’s proud past. The song accompanying the video is by Scots singer/songwriter Michael Marra.
