Retail abuse law change welcomed Ian Taylor


Industry leaders have welcomed the government decision to make assaulting or abusing shop staff a criminal offence. The Home Office had previously


ruled out such a move, suggesting in October that it was not required. But announcing the change in the law last week, prime minister Rishi Sunak said it would “demonstrate to shop workers we’ve got their back”. The new offence, to be added to the Criminal Justice Bill currently before Parliament, will carry a maximum sentence of six months in prison or an unlimited fine. Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer


said: “Many of our members have high street shops providing a valued


service to their community and we welcome any move to help ensure staff can provide that in a safe and secure environment.” Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive


at The Advantage Travel Partnership, told Travel Weekly: “This is a positive step and will ensure the police have the power to respond to the growing incidents across the retail sector. “It’s appalling how many [staff in]


retail outlets have been subjected to harrowing abuse and this will give a clear message that this threatening behaviour will not be tolerated. Our community across the outbound travel sector must stand together with other industries to protect our people from this shocking conduct.” The new offence is chiefly aimed at shoplifting, incidents over age


Industry monitors Middle East after Iran missile assault


Juliet Dennis


Tour operators and travel agents have reported a small number of calls from concerned clients as they keep a watching brief on the Middle East following Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel. The Foreign Office (FCDO)


updated travel information for almost 20 countries, including Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, with news of the weekend attack, but did not change existing travel advice. Some in the trade blamed


media misreporting on the updated advice for fuelling panic among


4 18 APRIL 2024


holidaymakers due to travel to destinations including Egypt and Turkey. Peter Kearns, executive director


of Egypt specialist operator Red Sea Holidays, said reports suggesting a change in travel advice were “not helpful”. He said: “It’s not fact and it creates confusion. A few agents have rung up because of this misleading information. “Agents have a difficult enough job


as it is. We’re deeply concerned about what is going on, but it isn’t affecting our sales and it’s business as usual.” Seaside Travel brand manager Richard Lowrey-Heywood said:


“One of our nine shops had customers asking if it was still safe to go to Turkey. We reassured them the Foreign Office would not let people travel if it was not safe.” Oasis Travel managing director


Sandra Corkin noted queries from clients due to fly via the Middle East. “The only worry is if people cut their losses and cancel holidays later in the year, but it’s too early to tell yet,” she said. Companies including Jet2 and Tui


said they were operating as normal, but closely monitoring events. Adventure specialist Intrepid


Travel said the latest escalation had


led to a “small number” of calls from clients booked to travel to Jordan. Hazel McGuire, general manager for the UK and Ireland, said: “If customers no longer wish to travel, we’re being flexible with our booking conditions.” Cyplon Holidays managing


director Harry Hajipapas said new enquiries for Cyprus, Egypt and Morocco holidays had come to a “standstill” as a result of Iran’s attack. The Advantage Travel Partnership


said it was keeping a “close eye” on a situation that could “escalate quickly” while Barrhead Travel said it was ensuring teams had access to information to share with clients.


travelweekly.co.uk This will ensure


the police have the power to respond to the growing incidents across the retail sector


restrictions on alcohol and tobacco sales and organised crime. However, travel agency staff can be subject to abuse and foreign exchange facilities can attract crime. The British Retail Consortium


(BRC) welcomed the announcement, saying: “Retail workers will finally get the protection they need.” But it noted the campaign for a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker had gone on “for more than five years”.


Chief executive Helen Dickinson


said the BRC’s Annual Crime Survey “showed record levels of violence and abuse, with more than 1,300 incidents a day last year”, adding: “The impact has steadily worsened, with people facing racial abuse, sexual harassment, threatening behaviour, physical assault and threats with weapons. “The voices of the three million


people working in retail have finally been heard.” Shopworkers’ union Usdaw gave


a more cautious welcome, saying it would “study the detail [of] this long overdue U-turn” and noting: “Our members have had to wait too long for their voices to be heard.” The Scottish government made


it an offence to assault, threaten or abuse a retail worker in 2021.


PICTURE: Shutterstock/M21Perfect

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