Members of the Fed (Federation of Independent Retailers) met with local MP Liz Kendall in Leicester last week (1 May), where they celebrated the Crime & Policing Bill gaining Royal Assent and to discuss retail crime and other issues affecting small independent retailers both locally and across the rest of the UK.
The visit was hosted by the Fed’s East of England district president, Jital Patel, at his business SK News on Anstey Lane, in Ms Kendall’s Leicester West constituency.
Also in attendance were fellow constituent and city-centre retailer Parth Patel, Leicestershire Fed member Hetal Patel and the Fed’s political engagement coordinator, Douglas Oliver.
The Act, which received Royal Assent on 29 April after being voted through Parliament, includes key measures such as the introduction of a standalone offence of assaulting a shopworker and the removal of the £200 threshold of theft as only a ‘low-value’ summary offence.
Discussions also touched on the services provided by small independent retailers across Leicester as well as the business discounts, knowledge sharing and political representation opportunities the Fed provides for members across the UK.
The Fed team also asked questions about business rates and energy costs, including the Fed’s work with Kendall’s Labour colleague, Sarah Edwards MP, to make pricing of electricity bills more competitive and fairer for small businesses.
Jital Patel said: “It was great to welcome Ms Kendall to our business and discuss the positive work the Fed does to represent our members. We spoke about challenges caused by retail crime and our work with the police and Trading Standards to report crime and rogue trade.”
Kendall added: “I’m delighted to have spent time with Jital, Parth and Hetal, hearing about the vast range of services they provide, and finding out more about their experiences as independent retailers. I will be passing on their feedback to my colleagues in government.”
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