Shopkeeper Brian Jobber, who wants the council to do more to help small businesses
WORRIED traders have demanded more support from the council after a report warned independent shops could all but disappear from Redbridge's high streets by 2015.
Shopkeepers have called on the local authority to help halt their decline by introducing measures such as lower business rates and the removal of double yellow lines outside shops.
The plea comes after a survey by the Forum of Private Business showed that thousands of independent stores have closed each year since 2000 because of rising business rates and increased competition from supermarkets and retail chains.
More than 150 MPs, including Ilford North MP Lee Scott, have backed traders by supporting an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling on the Government to give councils more powers to protect small shops.
Richard Strong, of Wanstead Business Partnership, said he feared the borough's high streets would be turned into "characterless clone towns" unless urgent action was taken.
He added: "The bottom line is that many small businesses simply can't compete with supermarkets and chain stores and need more help to survive.
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"The council must do all it can to support them."
His views were echoed by Brian Jobber, owner of Andrews Builders Merchants in Woodbine Place, Wanstead, who said the council could do more to help small businesses.
He said: "I support this call for councils to be given more power to protect small shops, but I don't think they do enough to help us with the power they already have.
"They could be doing all sorts of small things, like making business rates fairer, getting rid of double yellow lines in front of shops and widening roads to make it easier for shoppers to park."
Councillor Jim O'Shea, cabinet member for Corporate Performance and Review, said he appreciated the plight of independent traders but the council had little power to help them.
He said: "The short answer, is that the council can't discriminate in favour of small shops when setting business rates. We are prevented from doing this by law.
"It is sad to see our high streets losing their character, but the council has few powers to stop this at present."
What the council [bold]CAN[/bold] do is to put more money into the regeneration of shopping centres beyond the bottomless pit called Ilford.
In September 2007 the council's cabinet received a report proposing a regeneration scheme for Barkingside High Street. Almost 8 months later nothing has happened because, despite an intervening budget round, they have still not identified the source for funding the budget of £50,000 required for consultations and development of a scheme. It clearly shows that it is not regarded as a priority, and is nothing short of a disgraceful deception.
There can be little hope for the future. The cabinet post for regeneration will have from 15 May its third different member in as many years.
Civic leadership? [bold]WHAT[/bold] civic leadership?
What the council CAN do is to put more money into the regeneration of shopping centres beyond the bottomless pit called Ilford.
In September 2007 the council's cabinet received a report proposing a regeneration scheme for Barkingside High Street. Almost 8 months later nothing has happened because, despite an intervening budget round, they have still not identified the source for funding the budget of £50,000 required for consultations and development of a scheme. It clearly shows that it is not regarded as a priority, and is nothing short of a disgraceful deception.
There can be little hope for the future. The cabinet post for regeneration will have from 15 May its third different member in as many years.
Jobber is an idiot! He sold his car park so it could be turned into flats and now he moans that he wants help for parking? He must have been breathing in too much paint again! You cannot have it all ways mate! Your shop will end up as residential soon as you well know as you have been talking about it for years! Have you got nothing better to do?
Jobber is an idiot! He sold his car park so it could be turned into flats and now he moans that he wants help for parking? He must have been breathing in too much paint again! You cannot have it all ways mate! Your shop will end up as residential soon as you well know as you have been talking about it for years! Have you got nothing better to do?
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