A London fashion agency has launched a petition urging the government to
\nextend the business rates grants and holidays available for retailers to
\ninclude wholesale agents and distributors.<\/p>\n
Currently, sales agents and distributors – who are typically
\nself-employed or directors drawing dividends – do not qualify for the same
\nlevel of support as many of the retailers they supply.<\/p>\n
The petition, launched by The Morris Fyfe Agency in Brick Lane, east
\nLondon, is hoping to change that.<\/p>\n
So far, signatories include London-based Double H Agency, Love Brands,
\nJonny Drama, Just A Group, FOF Fashion Marketing and Brand Machine Group,
\nand Manchester-based agency Red Alert.<\/p>\n
Daniel Morris, co-founder of The Morris Fyfe Agency, said he supports
\nthe 12-month business rates holiday, but wants to see the same for
\nwholesale agents and distributors who he said are currently “paying the
\nprice in terms of reduced income from retailer cancellations, discounts and
\ndelays.”<\/p>\n
The business rates holiday was announced by the government in March as
\none of several measures to help companies manage the financial impact of
\nthe Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
“My petition is saying that we are directly related to retail and should
\nbe considered in the same bracket. With buyers furloughed, offices shut and
\nthose people working doing so from home, those of us with retail showrooms
\nare experiencing a similar impact to retailers. In fact, you could claim
\nit’s worse, as we don’t sell through websites. We can’t just walk away from
\nour showrooms, so they are staying full of samples with no visitors,”
\nMorris said in a press release.<\/p>\n
He continued: “We’re not eligible for the 12-month rates holiday, or the
\n25,000 pound grant for ratepayers in the retail, hospitality, tourism and
\nleisure sectors, because we’re not classed as retail, and I can’t get the
\nsmall business grant funding of 10,000 pounds because my rateable value is
\nabove 15,000 pound. The only logical next step has been to launch the
\ngovernment petition.”<\/p>\n
Photo credit: Kai Pilger, Pexels<\/p>\n