One year on from the August 2011 riots in England, new figures suggest a broadly positive view of how retailers feel about the communities they serve, their safety and their interaction with local police. The Voice of Local Shop survey conducted by ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) suggests that: 39 per cent of retailers feel that their community is more safe;
42pc of retailers feel that their community is more united;
Most retailers have engaged with the local police (50pc) or community support officers (66pc) in the past year; and
53pc are confident that the police will be better able to respond to civil unrest.
A significant percentage of retailers ‘don’t know’ whether their community is safer (39pc) or more united (44pc); and 22pc report the feeling that their community is less safe and 14pc more divided. The survey also suggested that retailers are more engaged in structured community activity than ever before. Some 70pc of retailers are involved in some kind of community initiative such as collecting money for charity, supporting community events, sponsorship for local sports teams or community meetings or projects.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “A year ago retailers shared fear and miscomprehension about the violence inflicted on shops in cities across the country. Very quickly they were heartened by the way communities came together to repair damage and rebuild the community spirit that could have been destroyed.
“What these insights tell us is that a year on more retailers feel safer and believe their communities are more united. This suggests that it is the aftermath, rather than the riots themselves, that has had the more telling impact on local shop owners. It is also heartening to see that retailers are more engaged with local Police and Community Support Officers and that more retailers than ever before are engaged in structured community events.
Meanwhile former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott will address the ACS Crime Prevention Forum in September as part of a session on prospective Police and Crime Commissioners.
Labour Humberside candidate Lord Prescott will join Surrey Conservative candidate Julie Iiles and Andrew Smith, Liberal Democrat candidate for Sussex in talking to retailers about their plans to help retailers in the fight against crime in stores.
ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for retailers to hear from high profile candidates for the Police and Crime Commissioner positions about what they plan to do in their respective areas to tackle to problem of retail crime and make their communities safer.”
Police and Crime Commissioners will be elected in November 2012 and will be responsible for setting policing budgets and priorities in police authorities across England and Wales. The forum will also include presentations from retailers Dean Holborn and Dilip Patel, sharing best practice and speaking about their experiences of crime. This free event for ACS members, is on Tuesday September 6, in London.
