Martin has pledged support for the 78 convenience stores in the Cleethorpes constituency at the Association of Convenience Stores’ Heart of the Community event in Parliament to celebrate the essential role that local shops play in our communities.
ACS Heart of the Community is an annual event which brings together retailers from across the country with MPs to voice their concerns about the future of the sector. This year’s reception celebrated the role that the convenience sector is playing in tackling loneliness in isolated areas, promoting the development of staff through apprenticeships and enabling customers to make healthier choices.
Martin said that: “Local shops in my constituency provide an essential service to local people, flexible local jobs and make significant investment in the economy. I’m delighted to show my support for local shops and will continue working with this important sector.”
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Convenience stores are one of the most positively thought of services on local high streets, towns and villages, and we welcome the support of Martin. The convenience sector is growing, but there are significant challenges on areas like crime, employment and the environment, so we look forward to working with Martin in the future on these and other issues facing local shops.”
The 2018 ACS Local Shop Report shows that there are 46,262 convenience stores in mainland UK making up a sector that is now worth over £38 billion. Local shops are also a vital source of employment, providing jobs for around 365,000 people. Local shop owners are some of the hardest working people in the UK – 20% of shop owners work more than 70 hours per week on average, and 19% take no holiday at all throughout the year.
The convenience sector also makes a significant contribution to the UK economy, generating over £3.6bn in taxes over the last year.