Sad sign of the times | Viewpoint: Jonathan James

earlier this month.

It is hitting the mainstream media now but is of no surprise to those of us in the industry. Verbal and physical assaults
are at a record high and the police are now promising to attend. Whether that materialises is another matter.

We can but hope. Neighbourhood policing and the bobby on the beat have immeasurable value to communities. The deterrent to crime that they provide cannot be valued but is absolutely vital.

Waitrose offering coffee to the police is a great idea, albeit not a new one. Many years ago,

I turned a disused manager’s office into a police office in one of my stores. The community, having lost their former police station, were delighted to have a police base in the town again.

Needless to say, theft and anti-social behaviour in my store plummeted, so it was a win-win. I urge all retailers to
forge a working relationship with their local police. The only people who won’t like it are the ones you probably don’t want in your store anyway!

My son Joshua recently opened a new-to-industry store in a nearby village. As expected, the hours he has had to put
in to get things started have been very demanding. The store is stunning and the village residents absolutely love it.

Many have noticed Josh’s car parked outside morning, noon and night and one of his friends asked me, “What does
he find to do all day?” Where do you begin to answer such a question? Retailers take for granted the level of knowledge
and expertise needed to run a store, but unfortunately our customers don’t see it.

On any given day, just step back and review what you have had to deal with since getting to work: HR, legal compliance,
accountancy, IT, product knowledge, pricing, energy, rates, rent.

It’s so much more than our customers realise.

Jonathan James is the owner of James Convenience Retail