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SGF to represent retailers at Holyrood Smoking Conference
28 July 2009
Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF), CEO, John Drummond will outline the reasons behind the retail sector’s opposition to measures included in the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill at Holyrood’s Smoking Conference to be held on the 23rd September 2009.
SGF has strongly opposed the Scottish Government’s proposals to introduce a tobacco display ban which SGF has estimated will cost a typical convenience store in the region of £5,000 to £10,000 just to modify their store.
John Drummond said:
”SGF has repeatedly expressed our concern at the lack of compelling evidence to support the introduction of a tobacco display ban.
“If implemented a display ban will lead to considerable costs and disruption for retailers already struggling with the economic downturn and is founded on an immature argument that tobacco displays are the primary reason young people take up smoking.
“I welcome the opportunity to represent retailers at the Holyrood Magazine Conference and to identify some of the measures we believe could really make a difference to reducing levels of youth smoking if adequately resourced by the Scottish Government.”
ENDS
For further information please contact Katie Mackie 0131 343 3300 or 07912 308583
For full conference details please visit www.holyrood.com/tobaccobill or contact Duncan Robertson at Holyrood magazine conferences on 0131 272 2175
Grocers Concerned Government Action on Personal Licences Does Not Resolve Training Issue
24 July 2009
The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) fears many small shops continue to face significant challenges in training all staff who sell alcohol by the 1st September, despite measures taken by the Scottish Government today which will enable licensed premises to continue to trade until the 1 November 2009 where the designated premises manager’s application for a personal licence has yet to be approved by the licensing board.
During regular meetings with the Scottish Government, SGF has repeatedly raised members concerns about the problems the delay in the issuing of personal licences will have on their ability to sell alcohol and train staff
The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 requires all sales staff to have received a minimum two hours training before they can sell alcohol. Training for staff can be provided in-house by a personal licence holder or by a training provider.
John Drummond, Chief Executive of SGF said,
“Whilst this will resolve some timing issues, small shops still run the risk of being unable to sell alcohol on 1st September, as the provisions included within the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 (Transitional Provisions) Order 2009 do not apply to training.
“Many small shops were relying on their personal licence holder to train additional members of staff. However, the regulations still require a personal licence holder to have been issued with their licence in order to carry out training. It is both unreasonable and impractical to expect retailers to have to meet the costs and inconvenience of arranging external training at short notice, in the holiday period, and when demand for this type of training is at an all time high, simply because a licensing board has not allocated significant resources to this process. SGF will continue to make representations to the Scottish Government on this matter.”
SGF Welcomes Success of Voluntary Initiatives to Reduce Use of Plastic Carrier Bags
21 July 2009
John Drummond, Chief Executive of the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) has welcomed figures released by the BRC and Scottish Government showing a 49% reduction in the number of carrier bags handed out to customers in Scotland.
The Scottish Government has been working with retailers to develop voluntary initiatives to reduce carrier bag use. Earlier this year SGF members played a key part in the Scottish Government’s campaign to help customers remember to reuse their carrier bags.
John Drummond said;
“It is often very difficult for convenience stores because there is a difference in bag use between weekly planned shops and more spontaneous visits to shops where customers are less likely to take their own bags. However, SGF members are making determined efforts to encourage customers to change their habits and to use durable bags for sustained use on an on-going basis.
“SGF supports the use of voluntary methods to reduce carrier bag use which are changing attitudes and behaviours. Imposing a compulsory charge especially during the current economic slowdown would be an additional and unnecessary burden both for local authorities and retailers and would undermine the tremendous success of voluntary initiatives.”
SGF Anger Over Personal Licence Debacle
The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) is putting pressure on the Scottish Government to intervene over the delay in processing personal licences which could result many retailers being unable to sell alcohol on the 1st September.
With less than six weeks to go until the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 comes into force, SGF has been contacted by a number of members still waiting for personal licences to be processed by Licensing Boards, despite some applications being submitted by retailers at the end of 2008. One retail group who applied for 120 personal licenses at the start of 2009 still has 63 outstanding applications.
The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, which comes into force on the 1st September 2009, requires a premises licence to have a designated premises manager who must be a personal licence holder. Unless the personal licence has been granted for the premises manager, then on September 1, the store will not be permitted to sell alcohol.
John Drummond, Chief Executive of SGF said,
“We are extremely alarmed by the information we have received from members and have been feeding into discussions with officials from the Scottish Government on this issue.
“The problem is more acute in pockets across Scotland where it appears certain licensing boards have not put in place adequate resources to ensure personal licences are granted in time.
“As well as running the risk of being unable to sell alcohol, the delay in processing personal licences has ramifications for retailers who intended to use a personal licence holder to train fellow members of staff. Under the new Act no person can sell alcohol unless they have received a minimum two hours training. Training for staff can be provided in-house by a personal licence holder or by a training provider. However, if you are not in possession of a personal licence you cannot train staff which means some of our members will now have to incur the additional costs of hiring a training provider.
“This situation is completely unacceptable especially when our members invested considerable resources into ensuring they carried out the licensing application process correctly and responsibly. Unless the Scottish Government steps in and offers a solution many retailers face being unable to sell alcohol on the 1st September which could threaten the future of many businesses.”
Scottish Grocers Federation