Bira met with Business Ministers to lobby for extra support for independent retailers recovering from the pandemic.

There was also an opportunity to ask Ministers some of the questions you sent into us via email. We thank you for your correspondence. 

We received many questions so here, we have tried to answer some of the most frequesntly asked ones.

When will non-essential retail be given dates for reopening?
We now know. It is not as soon as we hoped for having pushed for re-opening before Easter. However, we are urging the Government to remain flexible in its thinking and respond to the positive trends we are seeing in terms if infections and people in hospital.

Will the Government agree to suspend business rates for non-essential retailers until 2022?
It look as if there will be an announcement in the Budget next Wddnesday. We are hopeful, especially as Scotland has already announced an 12 month extensions for businesses in Scotland. (We now know that business rates in England will be suspended until June with a discount thereafter)

Given that this lockdown is likely to be of similar length to the first lockdown when the Bounce Back Loan was introduced, could the Bounce Back Loan Scheme be extended to cover business in operation prior to January 5, 2021?
We campaigned successfully for positive changes to the loans with extension to the repayment period and the interest-free period implemented. We will continue to seek clarification about eligibility of businesses.

Do the latest lockdown grants for retail in England (£6,000 plus £2,000 depending on size of premises) awarded in respect of lockdown that STARTED on January 5, apply to business that were in operation PRIOR to January 5?
Yes we believe they do.

Would the Government consider a scheme that refunds parking ticket costs when you buy from a local shop?
Bira has put forward this idea and not yet received a reply.

As the exit strategy to lockdown is developed and if the wide non-essential closure is going to continue would it be possible to consider allowing a wider category of shops to open at an early stage? For example, the reinstatement of the home and hardware category as was the case in the first lockdown. Surely cookware is essential! Or more widely based on size of shop provided the meet ’Covid Secure’ criteria or with restrictions on number allowed in a shop at a time etc? Are smaller independent shops a significant cause of the spread of infection? If not is continued closure justified as cases continue to fall?Now we have dates for reopen, there may be no need for a change in policy. All non-essential shops can open from the April 12 in England, and on April 26 in Scotland. We are trying to convince the Scottish Government to be flexible and consider allowing click and collect be allowed for more shops until April 26. We have put forward ideas to the Welsh Government this week and again pushing for a pre Easter re-opening.

Will there be a policy to encourage people to open up new independent retail in empty shops?
Recovery of the high street is high on the Government agenda. We have consistently proposed support for new retail businesses until theybecome established.

Isn’t it about time that the tax loopholes exploited by Amazon and Starbucks were finally closed?
Yes! The Budget next week may well reveal more of the Government’s thinking. (We now know there are no such plans for a digital tax yet).

Similarly, given that UK high street is now in terminal decline mainly due to online buying habits, can the Government put an equivalent retail business rate tax upon all online retail operations in order to level the playing field?
As per the previous answer, we are expecting more information from the Chancellor’s budget on March 3. Bira has been heavily consulted on our opinions and the views of our members.

Why I have yet to receive a specific reply to either of my letters to the Chancellor or then Business Secretary or BEIS in respect of the misleading information given out at the start of the first lockdown about thresholds for grants?
It is disappointing you have received no replies. There is a new Secretary of State and hopefully he will be more efficient.

Could/should a workwear store be considered an ‘essential retailer’?
We have had in depth discussions with government about the essential/ non-essential split. It has given too many large general retailers an unfair advantage. Our view has always been that shopping is safe, also retail is safe and so-called non-essential should be open. Furthermore, we did complain that not enough consultation was given to define essential having made that decision.

Additional Guidance and Resources