A seminar will be held for local retailers next month to help ready them for the increased competition from the discount supermarkets. The one-day seminar, to be held at Stirling Court Hotel on 25th March, has been organised by the SGF and SLR and is free for SGF members – and includes a five-star lunch. The seminar will also see Professor Leigh Sparks reveal the much-awaited report on the contribution convenience stores make to the local economy.
The seminar will focus on how independent retailers can respond to the growing challenges emerging in the industry. Competition is fierce and there are new threats from the Discounters. The economic environment remains challenging while the cost of doing business seems to increase every year. Despite all this, the independent convenience store sector is a strong one: SGF members have stayed in business throughout these difficult times. The seminar will look at how retailers responding to these challenges and ask what retailers are doing successfully that is keeping them in business?
With a focus on real life experience, this seminar will bring retailers together to talk, listen and learn. Building on the success of the recent SGF exhibition in the Scottish Parliament this event is being held in partnership with SLR magazine. We hope this will be one of a series of ongoing events with SLR during 2015.
The event will be Chaired by SLR Publishing Director Antony Begley. Key participants include:
- George McCusker, SPAR Hawick – My Business: My town
- Graeme Knowles, NISA Aberdeen – Raising Standards
- Linda Williams, Booker Premier Broadway Convenience Store – Fighting back
- Prof Leigh Sparks – C Stores and the Local Economy
- Dr. John Lee, SGF – SGF: Working for its Members
We are expecting a high demand for places at this event, therefore to book your place, please respond by e-mail to p.mullen@scotgrocersfed.co.uk or by phone on 0131 343 3300. Places will be taken on a first-come basis, so make sure you book now to avoid disappointment:
Details:
SGF Seminar (in partnership with SLR Magazine)
Stirling Court Hotel, Stirling University Management Centre
25th March 2015
9:30 – 1pm
