SCOTLAND’S convenience trade moved a step nearer to gaining its own cross-party working group in the Scottish Parliament last month.
Aimed at delivering independent retailers a voice and important contacts in parliament, the proposed cross-party group for independent convenience stores had its first meeting at Holyrood on September 20.
The meeting, held to agree the terms of the new group, was organised by the Scottish Grocers Federation and featured the participation of a range of MSPs, retailers and industry leaders.
Among those at the meeting were MSP Gordon MacDonald, who has been involved in many issues concerning Scotland’s independent convenience retailers, Leigh Sparks, professor of retail studies at Stirling University, head of alcohol in society at Diageo Mark Baird and Margaret Smith, director of Caledonia Public Affairs and a consultant for the Scottish Wholesale Association.
From the SGF were chief executive Pete Cheema, head of policy and public affairs John Lee, president Abdul Majid, and vice-president Dennis Williams.
Majid told Scottish Grocer of his desire to establish a CPG for the convenience sector last year. He said: “The whole reason I got involved with the SGF in the first place was to ensure the local voice is heard. Scotland’s retailers should be proud of who we are, what we do and what we achieve for our communities. That’s a message we need to get out there, especially to MSPs, to ensure that they’re working to assist us to survive.”
The CPG is now pending recognition, subject to the agreement of the parliament’s standards, procedures and public appointments committee.
