Labour has pledged to crackdown on “dodgy” American-style sweet shops which have been avoiding taxes.
Their rise has come to symbolise the decline of the normal excessive avenue, with greater than 20 on London’s Oxford Road alone.
In response to Labour, the candy retailers are nearly all the time run out of shell firms that don’t have any property with fabricated firm administrators and keep away from paying enterprise charges.
Westminster Metropolis Council is chasing unpaid enterprise charges of round £9 million from 26 retailers on Oxford Road.
And £1 million of counterfeit and unlawful items has been seized by the council over the previous 18 months, together with unsafe vapes.
Shadow Treasury minister James Murray mentioned extra wanted to be executed to encourage “reliable companies” to open.
He mentioned there must be a “new retailers bonus” that may provide a three-month enterprise charges vacation to shops.
Labour additionally mentioned ID necessities for somebody establishing a brand new firm must be strengthened to assist councils chase down companies that don’t pay their payments.
Murray mentioned: “Thousands and thousands of us can be heading to the retailers within the coming days to make the most of the Boxing Day gross sales.
“Nevertheless, the sharp rise in dodgy sweet shops has been blighting excessive streets and ripping off the taxpayer.
“We’re calling on the Authorities to work with councils, together with Westminster Metropolis Council, to incentivise reliable companies to open-up on the excessive avenue – slightly than these shell firms that keep away from paying their payments and commit different offences.
“In authorities, Labour would substitute enterprise charges with a brand new system, and we might use powers within the Financial Crime Act to crack down on rip-off companies and ensure there are correct checks in place when firms are being arrange.”