A London fashion agency has launched a petition urging the government to
extend the business rates grants and holidays available for retailers to
include wholesale agents and distributors.
Currently, sales agents and distributors – who are typically
self-employed or directors drawing dividends – do not qualify for the same
level of support as many of the retailers they supply.
The petition, launched by The Morris Fyfe Agency in Brick Lane, east
London, is hoping to change that.
So far, signatories include London-based Double H Agency, Love Brands,
Jonny Drama, Just A Group, FOF Fashion Marketing and Brand Machine Group,
and Manchester-based agency Red Alert.
Daniel Morris, co-founder of The Morris Fyfe Agency, said he supports
the 12-month business rates holiday, but wants to see the same for
wholesale agents and distributors who he said are currently “paying the
price in terms of reduced income from retailer cancellations, discounts and
delays.”
The business rates holiday was announced by the government in March as
one of several measures to help companies manage the financial impact of
the Covid-19 pandemic.
“My petition is saying that we are directly related to retail and should
be considered in the same bracket. With buyers furloughed, offices shut and
those people working doing so from home, those of us with retail showrooms
are experiencing a similar impact to retailers. In fact, you could claim
it’s worse, as we don’t sell through websites. We can’t just walk away from
our showrooms, so they are staying full of samples with no visitors,”
Morris said in a press release.
He continued: “We’re not eligible for the 12-month rates holiday, or the
25,000 pound grant for ratepayers in the retail, hospitality, tourism and
leisure sectors, because we’re not classed as retail, and I can’t get the
small business grant funding of 10,000 pounds because my rateable value is
above 15,000 pound. The only logical next step has been to launch the
government petition.”
Photo credit: Kai Pilger, Pexels
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