The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Federation of Small Businesses calls for action on town centres
SHOPS: Investment needed to meet challenges head-on
The Federation of Small Businesses has stressed its commitment to campaigning for a sustainable future for town centres.
Retail hubs in towns have been under pressure with ever growing internet sales, more empty units and reducing consumer confidence.
FSB Scotland’s policy unit chairman Andrew McRae said “pragmatic steps” need to be taken to counter the headwinds. The FSB launched a campaign earlier this year to fight to support firms operating in town centres.
It has called on the Scottish Government to invest in long-term success by investing in transformational regeneration projects and to investigate how to bring long-term empty properties back into use.
Scotland’s largest business membership group has also called for support to improve independent traders’ digital capabilities, more rates relief and a roll out of shared banking hubs in hard-hit towns to ensure access to banking.
Mr McRae, who took up the role last May, said: “There’s lots of talk in recent years about how challenging it is to cope with changes.
“We are looking at pragmatic steps to ensure the long-term viability of these businesses is maintained.
“A lot of town centres are blighted by empty units but they don’t need to be.
“For the last two years I’ve been a judge on the Great British High Street awards and it’s great to see what some communities are doing and a lot of it is grass roots. We need to celebrate that and think what else can be done.
“For example, shops have been closing but there’s a strong role for other service businesses and public services like GP practices to move into the centre of the community which would help.”
He added: “There is an ongoing transformation taking place. We can’t ignore it but we need to think what’s the best way forward.”
The FSB is also campaigning on the issue of late payments for SMEs, which it claims is behind the collapse of thousands of Scottish firms every year.