Letter to Home Secretary Supports Central MK Retailers

Senior representatives from MyMiltonKeynes BID, Centre MK, Midsummer Place and Xscape Milton Keynes have backed the call made by the British Retail Consortium and over 80 retailers on 29th September 2023 to the Home Secretary, to make the abuse of retail workers a criminal offence.

The four organisations, which together cover more than 170 retailers in the central Milton Keynes area, have jointly written to the Home Secretary, Rt Hon Suella Braverman MP. The letter echoes their support for the creation of a new statutory offence of assaulting, threatening, or abusing a retail worker, allowing for violent incidents resulting from retail workers enforcing a statutory age restriction or preventing theft, to be charged as an aggravated offence.

The letter has been issued ahead of Safer Business Action Week, which runs from 16th- 22nd October and sees the four organisations work together with Thames Valley Police and Milton Keynes City Council to raise the profile of business safety.

As part of Safer Business Action Week, a special drop-in event will take place for central Milton Keynes employers to talk to the new Central police team, meet with Victim Support specialists and find out more about the BID’s Business Crime Reduction Partnership.

During the week there will also be a free training course available for MyMiltonKeynes levy payers on the Hollie Guard app, which provides greater protection for lone workers and employers wanting to be sure their staff arrive home safely; plus details on how businesses can sign their staff up for free by-stander training to ensure they know what to do if they witness individuals behaving in a threatening way towards another person.

Important information about the new Safe Route, that provides a safe walk home through central Milton Keynes will also be shared with local businesses, while a social media campaign aimed at encouraging retail customers to #ShopKind will be shared across the @MyMiltonKeynes channels during the week.

To find out more please contact info@mymiltonkeynes.co.uk or call the office on 01908 395099.