Hansard

I thank Gordon MacDonald for bringing this debate to Parliament, and congratulate the Scottish Grocers Federation on its publication of the first Scottish local shop report.

Without any doubt, small retailers and convenience shops contribute greatly to our economy. In Scotland, nearly 6,000 such shops provide more than 44,000 jobs. In addition, by using local services and suppliers, small retailers also reinvest in their local economies. However, as Gordon MacDonald mentioned in his motion, independent convenience shops also play a vital role in communities across Scotland, with 87 per cent of independent retailers being engaged in community activity. Those activities are wide ranging. For example, since the introduction of the 5p single-use carrier bag charge, small shops have raised significant sums for charitable purposes. To make the benefits more lasting, the Scottish Grocers Federation now also works with the Scottish Government and Keep Scotland Beautiful to support smaller retailers to work together and make their donations more tangible.

I believe that acknowledging the benefits of small retailers and convenience stores is important. It highlights that small retailers and convenience stores are thriving aspects of communities across Scotland and contribute towards sustainable economic growth. However, those statistics should not lead us to neglect the fact that Scotland’s town and city centres are affected by a large number of shop vacancies. Towns and cities have difficulties in attracting customers and have to compete with larger shopping centres on the periphery. Even though statistics show that shop vacancies are falling and that restructuring changes are having an effect, I believe that further improving the attractiveness of our town centres is a crucial aspect of supporting local economies. However, creating more vibrant and active town and city centres is not an easy task. It requires the co-operation of a range of stakeholders, including the local council and business owners. To avoid conflict, that also demands the careful consideration of various interests.

In that regard, I want to mention Kirkcaldy4All, which is an excellent example of how to involve and work with local small retailers and businesses and of how beneficial such a partnership can be for customers and the local economy.

Kirkcaldy4All was elected in 2010 by the business improvement district in Kirkcaldy to deliver a business plan that, in its words, aims to

“promote Kirkcaldy Town Centre as a place where people want to work, shop and spend their leisure time in a welcoming environment which is customer focused and investment-friendly”.

To reach that goal, Kirkcaldy4All promotes Kirkcaldy town centre through various events, including the Fife international carnival, the big haggis Burns night, a lantern parade and the beach Highland games, as well as advertising in local newspapers and radio stations.

Kirkcaldy4All encourages small businesses and retailers to participate in small business Saturday, which, in 2015, took place on 5 December. In Kirkcaldy, the campaign, which encourages people to shop local, was celebrated with street entertainers and many offers and promotions in participating businesses. Participants also received free social media coverage for a period of five weeks leading up to the event.

Overall, 2015 has been a very successful year for Kirkcaldy4All. Besides being re-elected for another five-year term, Kirkcaldy4All launched a six-month trial for reduced parking costs in Kirkcaldy’s town centre. Most notably, Kirkcaldy was named home of Britain’s fastest growing small businesses. I believe that Kirkcadly4All played a crucial role in that success. A recent Experian study ranked Kirkcaldy number 1 in the United Kingdom—higher than cities such as Birmingham and Aberdeen. Turnover in small retailers and convenience shops in Kirkcaldy has grown significantly in the past 12 months, reflecting a trend for growth in the sector.

The debate has been a great opportunity to discuss such positive developments. However, we need to think about how we can sustain that trend and ensure that small retailers and convenience shops continue to thrive.