While the retail sector may not be what it once was, it still remains a major source of employment. According to the 2021 Census, in Crawley 9.51% of our economically active population work in ‘Sales or Customer Service Occupations’ (admittedly a broader description than is helpful), the 21st largest proportion of any local authority in England and Wales.
What happens to the sector and those working in it genuinely matters to a large part of our community and unfortunately far too often what is happening is verbal or physical abuse.
It wasn’t so long ago that we were applauding those working in shops, recognising them as key workers, ensuring that the country could continue to feed itself in the face of a deadly pandemic. Social attitudes change far too quickly and rates of violence, abuse and threats are considerably up on what they were at the time of the last General Election.
This week is #ShopKind week, a campaign backed by the Home Office to remind people that those serving them on the high street are also human beings deserving of respect and that we all have a role to pay in tackling abuse where we see it.
For more information visit: https://nbcc.police.uk/business-support/shopkind
Discover more from Peter Lamb for Crawley
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Peter Lamb for Crawley 