Search News

Results: 91-100 of 1048


Start again

8 Aug 2023

One in five UK consumers (20%) prefer using mobile payment services such as Apple Pay over cash (17%) or chip & PIN card payments (10%) for in-store purchases, a new survey has reported.

1 Aug 2023

In what the Financial Conduct Authority has described as “a step change in standards of consumer protection” new Consumer Duty regulations have come into force for all products and...

1 Aug 2023

Independent bookshops in the UK can now sell audio books through Libro.fm. Launching in the last couple of weeks in the UK, the digital audio book platform, which already partners with...

31 Jul 2023

The Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC) will be working with key financial institutions within the UK to gauge the shift in retail payments.
 

31 Jul 2023

Independent retailers are calling on the government to offer security grants so that stores can be better equipped to deal with shoplifting, which has risen by a quarter in England and Wales in...

31 Jul 2023

The shortlist has been announced for the 2023 Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards, which celebrate innovative products and inspiring independent retailers in the world of artisan food and...

19 Jul 2023

Apple has announced that Tap to Pay on iPhone has now rolled out to the UK, enabling small businesses to accept Apple Pay and contactless card payments using nothing more than their...

19 Jul 2023

Shopworkers’ union Usdaw has launched a blueprint to secure the future of the retail sector, which includes calling for the levelling of business taxation between online and in-store...

19 Jul 2023

Bira is supporting and urging retailers to participate in the 2023 State of the Workforce Survey, which is being run by People 1st International, part of The Workforce...

18 Jul 2023

Industry magazine Retail Jeweller’s list of Inspiring Independents 2023 - the top 100 independent jewellery and watch retailers from across the UK and Ireland, as voted...

Back to news menu

IRC seeks extension to retailer eviction protection in Westminster Hall Debate

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

IRC member enters Parliamentdebate to seek an extension to the moratorium on evictions within the Coronavirus Act 2020.

The Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC) is a well-established organisation that brings together like-minded trade associations with interests in the small and independent retail sector. It currently represents c.100,000 independent retailers throughout the UK and provides a lobbying platform for increasing the profile and voice of independent retailing within Government and Parliament.

The IRC, led by member The National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF), are now calling for a further extension to the Business Tenancies (Extension of Protection from Forfeiture etc.) (Wales) (Coronavirus) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 until the end of the financial year (5 April 2021).

On 23 March 2020, the UK government announced that commercial landlords would be prohibited from forfeiting commercial leases and evicting the tenant for non-payment of rent. This measure was further extended later in the year until 31 December 2020. These measures form part of the emergency Coronavirus Act 2020, enacted on 25 March 2020. 

The measures within the Act have previously been extended through legislation and we now seek a further extension to this.

The key asks are:

  • Tenants need protection from eviction in the form of a further extension to the existing moratorium until 5 April 2021 to reflect the continuing uncertainty of this financial year
  • Landlords and tenant must be obliged to negotiate before legal action can be taken
  • We need some kind of mediation / ADR service to deal with situations that have not been resolved
  • Code of conduct does not work and so we need to something stronger, maybe even a legal frameworks

The British Independent Retailers Association has also noted that their own research shows that after 1st lockdown, 24% of businesses did not re-open and this second lockdown could do even more damage because of the importance of this time of year for generating income. Add to this the potential threat of action from a landlord, stock to be paid for (and it may not have been sold), VAT and tax bills, we have a perfect storm of events that we close many perfectly good businesses.

The NHBF believes that extending the current eviction protection for businesses would save business owners from avoidable stress and worry over the Christmas period and beyond. Furthermore, the UK Government is continuing its work with lenders to ensure flexible support is provided to commercial landlords, including payment holidays and restructuring facilities to address and any potentially adverse implications to such an extension.

Independent retailers are the lifeblood of UK high streets, offering specialist products and services, knowledge and passion for their community. The IRC firmly believes that support such as protection from forfeiture during this most difficult period will allow businesses to come out the other side and once again be significant contributors to local economies.

If you have any evidence to contribute towards any of the points made above, please get in contact with us via info@actsmart.biz.

 

Back to news menu

Useful links

If you have any other queries please contact us.