SRC delighted as parliament vote against introduction of Large Retailer Levy but asks that the government consult retailers about proposals in future.
A vote in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, February 2, to block the proposed Large Retailer Levy was "the right decision", said the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC). The business group has been fiercely opposed to the extra tax on large shops and believes it would have risked damaging the country's reputation "as a good place to do business", jeopardising any future expansion plans.

SRC director Fiona Moriarty said: "The fact that this ill-conceived levy has been stopped will come as a huge relief to everyone who cares about Scotland's economic prosperity. Common sense has prevailed."

However, the SRC is now urging the Scottish Government to consult retailers about future proposals affecting the sector. The group believes, this would in turn, allow more time to be spent assessing the potential impact of policies to ensure they don't threaten the wider economy.

Ms Moriarty added: "We accept the Scottish Government has difficult financial decisions to make but the proposed Large Retailer Levy would have cost the county far more in long-term damage to investment than it would ever have raised. In future, the Scottish Government should consult with the sector at an earlier stage so unintended and damaging consequences can be identified in good time and avoided."