Big stores now taking their own medicine
IT was with a wry smile that I read about the tear-stained faces of the large superstores as they close their doors.
For it was they, in the 60s, 70s and 80s who muscled in and stripped the high street of its independent shops.
After grabbing the trades of the butcher, baker, grocer and greengrocer, they opened massive stores and paid only warehouse rates and employed less staff per 100 customers than did the small shops.
The small businesses objected but were told to move with the times.
Then went the bicycle shops, offlicences and newsagents, all into the superstores.
It wasn’t finished there, the pharmacies, decorating shops, ironmongers, the men’s and ladies’ outfitters and florists all incorporated into the superstores.
The fact that the small businesses were independent made the job easier for the multinationals as they bullied the little guy and stole his trade.
Then the Sunday Trading Act meant the shops were open seven days a week, not something a small independent grocers shop can do if they only employ a handful of staff.
Well now the boot is on the other foot! Small businesses have set up online, employing staff on hours that suit them. The independents are back! Taking trade from the superstores and delivering it too! Giving great service like they always did and giving the multinationals a slap in the till. Now the big stores are unhappy.
Well hard luck, re-invent yourselves, move with the times.
Some clown in Westminster has suggested taxing online businesses extra to level the playing field, why should they?
The government never helped the small shops when they needed it and thousands lost their jobs. Councils will rue the day they got into bed with the mega stores because when they shut up shop they leave a mega building empty behind them.
I would add one caveat, that all online businesses are registered in order that they all pay their tax. All money spent in this country should be taxed in this country. N W France