OPINION: Make your voice heard

I know it’s Christmas but with a General Election looming in May 2015, have you worked out what you are going to campaign on?

Could it be campaigning on something to help your business in the future? The wider retail industry? Or your community?

Now is the time for independent retailers to get together to highlight how important a local shop and/or post office is. It’s a chance to highlight the fact convenience stores offer an opportunity for social inclusion – they give people the ability to walk to the shops, the availability of fresh healthy produce and they create an indirect cohesive community.

It is never too early to invite your MP and any prospective candidates to your shop for a cup of tea, so you can show off what you do, how and why. Then tell them what else you could do if they were elected and did…

Go on, fill in the blank and get your’s and our industry voice heard. Why not also tweet @betterretailing to get a discussion going? Let’s support each other.

In the past 12 months, I have met our MP and expressed my concern about a range of issues that affect my business and, subsequently, my shoppers. I’ve spoken to them about the closure of the Royal Mail sub-sorting offices, rate relief and post office closures.

I’ve spoken to prospective parliamentary candidates about all Government services going online and the difficulty that causes for those without internet access or the skills to access support.

You have to make your voice heard and now is the perfect opportunity to do it.

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