High Streets UK urges government action as retail crime soars
Calls for urgent action to tackle prolific offending and protect high street stores and their staff have kicked up a gear with representatives from major retailers warning that government promises risk falling short of objectives.
"Without urgent reform, current systems cannot deliver on government ambitions to tackle high street crime', The High Streets UK body, which represents 5,000+ businesses, has said.
The demand follows a recent Safer High Streets Forum in London, with the group publishing a four-point policy proposal for ringfenced policing of flagship destinations; criminal justice reform; a coordinated crackdown on international organised crime; and a national framework for business crime reporting.
It noted that while recent government commitments on retail crime – including reprioritising shoplifting and making assaulting a retail worker a standalone offence – are welcome acknowledgements of unprecedented levels of loss from customer theft, it warns that criminal justice infrastructure, police funding and strategic prioritisation of other crime categories 'must be urgently reviewed if the crime plaguing our high streets is to be meaningfully and holistically tackled'.
Dee Corsi, chair of High Streets UK and chief executive of founding member, New West End Company, added: 'Flagship high streets are engines of the local and national economy, drivers of tourism, and anchors for communities. But without urgent national action on crime, they are at serious risk.
'We have welcomed the Government's renewed focus on retail crime in particular. But we must go further and faster to tackle all types of crime affecting high streets, having a devastating effect on businesses and communities, tarnishing the UK's global reputation, and jeopardising tourism and investment.'
She added: 'At our Safer High Streets Forum, we shared our frontline experience of the international criminal gangs, business crime, prolific offenders and anti-social behaviour affecting our high streets – none of which can be meaningfully tackled with the current systems and resources in place.
'Together, we have set out a clear, practical blueprint for change. It's now time to focus on delivery.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Belfast Telegraph
6 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
I've been close before but Northern Ireland debut is my major goal: Linfield striker
The Linfield Women striker came agonisingly close to selection for the tournament, having been part of the full-time training squad in preparation for the adventure in England.
Sunday World
7 minutes ago
- Sunday World
Eight die as hot air balloon catches fire and falls from sky in Brazil
On a video on social media, two people can be seen falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft A hot-air balloon caught fire and tumbled from the sky on Saturday in Brazil 's southern state of Santa Catarina, killing eight people, firefighters said. Footage shared by local news outlet G1 showed billows of smoke coming from the balloon, which was in flames as it hurtled toward the ground in the municipality of Praia Grande. On a video on social media, two people can be seen falling through the air as the fire spread onboard the aircraft. Thirteen people survived and were taken to hospitals, Santa Catarina's military fire brigade said, adding that 21 people were on board including the pilot. The crash happened at around 8 a.m. local time, said Lt. Col. Zevir Cipriano Jr., a military firefighter. A fire started in the basket, prompting the pilot to try to land the balloon. Thirteen people, including the pilot, managed to jump out but eight were unable to. Without the weight of the others, the balloon began rising again. 'These people ended up dying — four charred and another four jumped out of the balloon when it was falling,' Cipriano Jr. said. Three people died hugging each other, said Ulisses Gabriel, chief of Santa Catarina's civil police force, on X. 'It hurts the soul.' 'We are in mourning. A tragedy has happened. We will see how it unfolds, what happened, why it happened. But the important thing now is for the state structure to do what it can,' Gov. Jorginho Mello said in a video on X. Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his solidarity with victims' families and said he was placing the federal government at the disposal of victims and local authorities. Authorities have opened an investigation and the results will be made public within 30 days, Santa Catarina's public safety secretary Col. Flávio Graff told journalists. According to the civil police, the pilot has given testimony and they will also gather statements from survivors, Graff added. Image: X News in 90 Seconds - June 22nd G1 reported that the balloon's expected flight time was 45 minutes, with the balloon reaching 1,000 meters (3,280 feet), and cost 550 reais (around $100) per passenger. Sobrevoar, the company responsible for the multicolored balloon, said it complied with all regulations and had a clean accident record prior to Saturday. 'Despite all necessary precautions and the efforts of our pilot — who has extensive experience and followed all recommended procedures in an attempt to save everyone on board the balloon — we are suffering from the pain caused by this tragedy,' it said in a statement. Sobrevoar added that it was suspending all operations for an indefinite period. Praia Grande is a common destination for hot-air ballooning, a popular activity in parts of southern Brazil. The area is famous for its dramatic canyon landscapes and is known as the 'Brazilian Cappadocia,' a reference to a region in central Turkey famed worldwide for stunning hot-air balloon rides. Last Sunday, a balloon came down in Sao Paulo state, killing a 27-year-old woman and injuring 11 other people, G1 reported.
Economic Times
7 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Legendary composer who gave Kishore Kumar a break, once owned 3 luxury cars, died alone; no family members attended his last rites
Agencies OP Nayyar and Kishore Kumar came together for several hit songs. Once, he was one of the most influential composers in Bollywood, making stars dance to his tunes and bringing evergreen chartbusters to life. However, OP Nayyar, the mastermind behind timeless songs such as classic club banger 'Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu' and the soulful and seductive 'Aaiye Mehrban', spent his twilight years in complete isolation and in dire financial straits. According to a DNA report, not one of his family members or anyone from the Bollywood fraternity attended his last rites when he passed away in 2007 following a heart onto the scene in the 1950s as a confident, young refugee from Lahore, Nayyar challenged the titans of his day—Anil Biswas, Naushad Ali, Shankar-Jaikishan, S.D. Burman, and C. Ramchandra—and emerged as one of the most successful and highest-paid music directors in Bollywood. As per a Hindustan Times report, despite lacking formal training in classical music, Nayyar composed songs deeply rooted in Indian ragas, like Chhota Sa Balama in Raag Tilang and the entire Phagun soundtrack in Raag Pilu. As the golden era faded, so did Nayyar's prominence in the industry. By the late 1970s, personal and professional setbacks started taking their toll. He distanced himself from his family in 1979, and although he returned briefly, he permanently separated from them in 1989. A After spending some time with singer Madhuri Joglekar in Virar, Nayyar moved in with the Nakhwa family in Thane as a paying guest. According to Indian Express, he had chosen a life of quiet withdrawal, asking to remain disconnected from both his biological family and the glamorous film world that once idolised him. Rani Nakhwa, who came to know him through a small telephone booth where she worked, had no idea of his celebrity status when they first met. She offered him a room in her modest one-bedroom home. Over time, the bond deepened. He became a father figure to her, and she affectionately referred to him as Babujee. He, in turn, called her Raju, having disliked her real name. In his final years, he preferred the company of these ordinary yet kind-hearted people, choosing familial warmth over material an interview with , Nakhwa said, "He lived like a king here. He liked having a beer in the afternoon and had his staple of two pegs of scotch in the evenings."When O.P. Nayyar passed away in January 2007 due to a heart attack, the music world lost one of its most influential voices. However, in accordance with his wishes, none of his family members or anyone from the film industry was informed. His funeral was attended only by the Nakhwa family, who had become his closest companions in his final chapter. Reminiscing about his death, Nakhwa told , "He had told us not to inform his family of his death. We performed his last rites.' Nayyar's artistic contributions remain unmatched. Though his debut film, Asman, was unsuccessful, his big break came with Aar Paar in 1954 under Guru Dutt's guidance. With a revolutionary blend of Indian rhythmic patterns and Western instrumentation like saxophone, clarinet, and sarangi, as highlighted by the Hindustan Times , Nayyar transformed the soundscape of Hindi cinema. He once owned three luxury cars and hosted lavish parties at his music room in Kemp's Corner, but his final years were marked by simplicity, detachment, and emotional depth—mirroring the very soul of his compositions, the HT report revealed. He introduced and championed major voices like Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar. He worked with Kumar on several successful songs, including those in films like 'Baap Re Baap' (1955) and 'Ragini' (1958).
