Category Archives: MSPs

Scottish Business Rates: a Local and/or National Issue?

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Leigh Sparks

A fair degree of concern was whipped up in the run-up to the New Year by the vote in the Scottish Parliament to give local councils the ability to set non-domestic, i.e. business rates. This is not yet confirmed as … Continue reading →

Posted in Barclay Review, Bids Scotland, Government, Internet shopping, Legislation, Local Authorities, Local Retailers, Localisation, MSPs, Online Retailing, Rates, Regulation, Retail Levy, Retail Policy, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scottish Government, Scottish Retail Consortium, Scottish Retailing, Small Business Bonus Scheme, Small Shops, Tax, Towns, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Taxing Matters for Retailers

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Leigh Sparks

The Scottish Election is in full swing; well as much of a swing as can be generated when everyone thinks they know the outcome.  Some have described it as a lacklustre campaign season; others have asked what campaign? So it … Continue reading →

Posted in Deposit Return Scheme, Government, Independents, Leadership, MSPs, Rates, Regulation, Retail Levy, Retailers, Scotland, Scottish Government, Scottish Grocers Federation, Sugar Tax, Tax, Wages | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Places of Possibility; Spaces of Opportunity”

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Leigh Sparks

It was with the phrase “Places of Possibility; Spaces of Opportunity” that we ended Julian Dobson’s tour de force on “How to Save our Town Centres” last Wednesday. His presentation and Scottish book launch to a full Storytelling centre in … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Crowdfunding, High Streets, MSPs, Places, Planning, Property, Public Realm, Retailers, Retailing, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Scotland's Towns Partnership, Spaces, Town Centre Action Plan, Town Centres, Towns, Understanding Scottish Places | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Local Convenience Stores in a Challenging Retail Environment

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Leigh Sparks

It is always a pleasure to be simply able to stroll across the University car park to the Stirling Court Hotel (formerly the Stirling Management Centre) in order to present at an industry conference. Last Wednesday the Scottish Grocers Federation … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Grocer, Competition, Convenience stores, Food Retailing, Independents, Local Multiplier, Local Retailers, MSPs, Planning, Scottish Grocers Federation, Scottish Local Retailer, Small Shops | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Scottish Retail: Creating Jobs, Investing in Communities, Boosting Growth

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Leigh Sparks

At various points during the life of this blog I have turned it over to guest bloggers to cover a topic of their choosing. Sometimes this has been because something they have said or have written has caught my eye … Continue reading →

Posted in BRC, Government, MSPs, Rates, Red Tape, Regeneration, Regulation, Retail Economy, Retail Levy, Tax, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Professorial Provocations, the Burg(h)ers of St Andrews and Other Stories

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Leigh Sparks

A few weeks ago I was invited to a Public Finance/Deloitte roundtable on town centres and the high street, and asked to do an introductory piece to kick it off. I went with one my”professorial provocations” about which I’ve written … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, Food Retailing, Government, High Streets, MSPs, Opening Hours, Retailers, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Technology, Town Centre Review, Town Centres, Vending Machines | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Scotland’s Towns Week, 18-24 November 2013

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Leigh Sparks

  The situation facing Scotland’s Towns has been a recurring theme in the media. It has risen up the political and public agenda in recent years, most notably in the political sphere with the Scottish Government’s ground-breaking (but sadly one-off, … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, High Streets, Local Retailers, MSPs, Places, Public Realm, Retail Policy, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Town Centre Review, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Town Centres, Post Offices, Courts, Police Stations and Alloa

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Leigh Sparks

A week or so back I was sent an email about the Alloa Town Centre Post Office being earmarked for closure or “rehoused with a retail partner”. Nothing new in that perhaps – our University post office was closed a … Continue reading →

Posted in Car Parking, Consumer Change, High Streets, MSPs, Places, Post Offices, Rates, Town Centre Review, Town Centres | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Political Will?

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Leigh Sparks

My interactions with MSPs on the subject of shopping, retailing and town centres have never been really that impressive – they probably say the same of me. If often wonder if, as they spend so much time politicking, they get … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, MSPs, Places, Rates, Retail Policy, Scotland's Town and High Streets, Start-ups, Town Centre Review, Town Centres | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments