Swansea vape seller ‘losing £3,000 a week’ to illegal traders, councillor says

Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter

A vape and tobacco seller is losing £2,000 to £3,000 a week because he’s being undercut by ones who aren’t operating legally, a council’s cabinet member said.

Cllr Andrea Harrington made the comment during a motion brought by her and fellow Labour cabinet members which called for councils to have more powers to regulate clusters of vape shops, barber shops and nail and beauty bars in Swansea.

The motion said there was frequently “an unmanaged proliferation of single-type outlets” due to restrictive or outdated planning policy. Residents and business owners were consistently frustrated, it said, at a lack of influence about the diversity of offer on high streets.

The motion said the council backed a zero-tolerance approach to dereliction, anti-social behaviour and illicit trading that protected honest, taxpaying local traders and restored public pride.

Giving an example of the intensification of certain business types, Cllr Harrington said she counted five vape shops, seven barber shops and nine takeaways on Morriston’s main shopping street. She said: “We need more choice, more diversity and a high-quality offer.” She also said she understood retail had changed in the last decade.

Cabinet colleague, Cllr Andrew Williams, said working with the council’s Trading Standards team has been “a bit of an eye-opener” and he briefed members on an operation involving the council and other agencies which he said took place last week.

Labour councillor David Phillips – an ex-customs officer – said he’d seen people outside a premises running around with 200-pack cartons of cigarettes and when he mentioned it to police who were nearby following an unrelated incident “they weren’t interested”.

He also said open drug dealing took place from some premises.

“We really need to do something about it otherwise it will be completely beyond our control,” he said.

Cllr Phillips also wondered why some barber shops with luxurious interiors “never seem to have any customers”.

He said: “I spoke to a barber, he’s finding it really difficult because he can’t match their prices.”

Uplands Party councillor Peter May said many units would be empty without vape and barber shops. He reckoned incentives should be offered to encourage new businesses. “We’ve got to have a bit of carrot and stick but I will support this motion,” he said.

Conservative councillors said there were wider issues around high streets and vacant units including business rates, employee national insurance contributions and parking, and queried the timing of the Labour motion now there’s a Plaid Cymru not Labour Welsh Government.

Opposition 

Opposition group leader Cllr Chris Holley, of the Liberal Democrats, suggested a political element to the motion and called for a deferral so that wider issues affecting high streets could be added. “We need a united front,” he said.

Council leader Rob Stewart said he would be happy to include input from party leaders into a letter he proposed to write to the Welsh Government requesting expanded local powers and a reform of current regulations. Cllr Holley said it was a good idea but that he still felt the motion needed strengthening.

Cllr Harrington said there’d been no political intention behind the motion and that she hadn’t wanted to put too much detail into it. “This is something that’s important to every resident I talk to and every trader I talk to,” she said.

The motion at the meeting of full council was carried, with the Liberal Democrats abstaining.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted the Welsh Government, which pointed to a new town centre taskforce which will provide practical, expert advice on supporting the future of town centres.

Speaking when the taskforce was announced last month, minister for local Government, housing and planning Sian Gwenllian said: “It will identify actions to help challenge decline, encourage changes in use to increase footfall, support Welsh businesses, attract investment and strengthen the long-term vitality of towns and city centres.”

The UK Labour Government announced powers last month to crack down on what it said was an unchecked spread of vape stores, betting shops, and rogue businesses that did little to serve their communities.

The Welsh Government said: “We recognise Swansea Council’s concerns and the importance of ensuring local authorities have the right tools to support town centres to thrive.

“The cabinet secretary for local government, housing and planning has recently established a new town centre taskforce to develop practical recommendations on the future of town centres across Wales and will be meeting council leaders to discuss the challenges facing communities.

“We will consider the views of local authorities as part of our ongoing work to build vibrant town centres and high streets across Wales.”

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