Labour demands crackdown on rogue American candy stores 'blighting' high streets

25 December 2023 , 22:30

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The number of American candy shops of this type have proliferated in recent years [file pic] (Image: Getty Images)

Labour has called for a crackdown on the rogue American candy stores "blighting" Britain's high streets.

The number of the tacky sweet shops has surged in recent years, with more than 20 springing up on London's Oxford Street. But these stores are often run out of shell companies and avoid paying full business rates, ripping off taxpayers in the process.

Westminster City Council is currently investigating unpaid business rates of around £9 million from 26 shops on the Capital's iconic shopping street. Some £1 million of counterfeit and illegal goods has been seized by the council over the past 18 months, including dodgy and unsafe vapes.

Labour urged the Government to trial a "new shops bonus" to incentivise legitimate businesses and beef up legal identity requirements for someone setting up a new company. Under the plans, shop owners would be offered a three-month business rates holiday in their first year in new premises.

It would come in from month seven to nine to ensure a new business is viable and legitimate before it benefits from taxpayers' cash. The business rate discount would be paid for by reallocating funding currently used to provide three months of ‘empty property relief.’ This relief currently goes to the landlord, rather than helping new tenants.

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Shadow Financial Secretary James Murray said: “Millions of us will be heading to the shops in the coming days to take advantage of the Boxing Day sales. However, the sharp rise in dodgy candy stores has been blighting high streets and ripping off the taxpayer."

Labour has vowed to overhaul business rates if it wins power and toughen up identity requirements for someone setting up a new company to help councils chase down businesses failing to pay their bills.

Cllr Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council, added: “Like councils right across Britain, we want to restore our high streets as the proud centres of local shopping and social life they should be. We have reduced candy stores on Oxford Street by a third, but there is only so much we can do without national government playing its part too."

Lizzy Buchan