Demanding tougher action on illegal shops

Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, has called for tougher laws against shops which trade illegally.

He was speaking during a Parliamentary debate on a House of Lords amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill aiming to extend the length of closure notices.

He said: “We campaigned during the General Election for a return to proper community policing and to safer high streets and town centres and ending the scourge of illegal trading must be part of that.

“Thanks to local publicans in my constituency who came forward with vital information, I raised illegal trading in Taunton with Somerset Council and the local police a year ago.

“So I would like to pay tribute to police officers like Andy, the Trading Standards officers and my Lib Dem Somerset councillor colleagues, such as Mike Rigby, overseeing the work that has led to a number of really high-profile closures.

“Taunton Market, Mr Taunton and Top Market have rightly been closed down, following just the kind of crackdown that was needed.

“I have a message for anyone else considering that kind of activity in Taunton and Wellington: Illegal trading isn’t welcome, you will be closed down and you will be prosecuted.”

Gideon added: “We need to go further, though. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute has pointed out that we need properly resourced Trading Standards services, which means tackling the local government funding crisis, particularly the social care funding crisis that is the main burden under which councils are struggling.

“Somerset councillors to whom I have spoken about this also want civil penalties against landlords who knowingly let their premises be used for illegal trading, and that has also raised by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.

“Those fines should be given to the council both to support Trading Standards work and to clean up the town centre environment. I believe that repeat offenders among landlords should forfeit their retail property to the council to allow its reuse or regeneration.

“Behind too many illegal shops are complicit landlords cashing in on the rent from illegal activity, and right now they face no consequences at all.”

Gideon said the main change he wanted was drafted following a visit with police officers around Taunton.

“I want to address their frustration with the reality of tackling illegal sales at one end of the counter while trading continues at the other end of the counter”

He proposed that a police superintendent or local authority chief executive should be able to immediately close premises used to trade illegally for up to 14 days, “crucially” without the “onerous” requirement having to apply to the courts to do so, as required in current legislation.

“To ensure a just approach to retailers, exercising such a power would have to be dependent on evidence of unlawful or illegal trading, such as the sale of stolen goods.

“The Association of Convenience Stores found that 25% of retailers identified stolen goods being sold locally in their areas, including the under-age sale of alcohol, tobacco, vapes or counterfeit goods, such as cigarettes.

“Enabling a rapid response of this kind would also help to tackle phoenixing, whereby new ventures open a new company just a few doors down from their closed premises.”

Gideon said he was delighted at the action taken in his constituency so far.

But he added: “There should be immediate closure where that is needed.

“Town centre businesses in Taunton and Wellington should not be forced to compete with criminal activity, and I will continue to push the case for stronger powers to stamp that out.”

The Lords amended was voted down by the Government in favour of their alternative proposals under which future regulations might be made. 

Gideon said afterwards: “We’ve made some progress with making our town centres safer with the recent recruitment of ten extra police officers for Taunton and West Somerset and the extra patrols they, and our town council’s Street Marshals, are making.

“But I, and the Liberal Democrats as a whole, will keep demanding that proper community policing is brought back.

“I will continue my work with local businesses, Trading Standards, the police and our councillor team to gather the evidence that will support the proposals I’m making in Parliament to make sure we really crack down on illegal trading.” 

Cllr Mike Rigby, Somerset Council’s Lead Member on Economic Development, added: “It’s really disappointing when criminals impact our high streets by taking up premises, which could instead be used by legitimate businesses, for their nefarious purposes.

“Working with the police, the council’s Trading Standards service will find these crooked shops and close them down.”