SEPTEMBER TRADE NEWS Norfolk locals petition against Tesco expansion BHF to have first female president Popularity of online retail set to grow Yorkshire traders rally in face of recession Small retailers stand by out-of-vogue cheques JJB Sport bemoans 'worst retail slump ever Planning regulations hit mom-and-pop stores Chester retailers fear 'death of city centre' Confusion abounds over latest Nokia offering Grimsby shopkeepers slam cigarette display ban Local shops in Crowborough brace for Tesco Consumers 'intolerant' of e-tailer glitches Retailers urge EU to scrap footwear tariffs Rise of the mega-mall 'decimates high streets' Manchester SMEs miss out on rate relief NECC moves to help flood damaged retailers New confectionery wholesaler in Liverpool Credit crunch drives Christmas shoppers online Newsagents slam Independent margin change Analysts predict September sales slump Upbeat London retailers buck national trend Call to reform high street parking policies Cheltenham residents back anti-Tesco campaign Retailers ramp up pressure for rent reform Retail spending 'remains in growth territory' Minimum wage increase hurts small retailers House & garden wholesalers escape property slump BRC slams predicted business rate spike MPs back Think Smallest First initiative Expert trumps opportunities in overseas markets Fears Swansea PO closure will harm local shops Norfolk residents celebrate blocked Tesco bid Next sees no improvement in consumer spending East Sussex town launches own currency Wet August dampens retails sales Wholesaler, Makro, fined over shopper's injuries Blackpool Council warns illegal street traders High street braces for 'cautious Christmas' Rate hold accepted but not welcomed Loyalty card revealed for retailers Brighton's shopping centre helps retailers Blaming the internet for slumping high street sales 'is wrong' Birmingham retailers work together to improve city centre Retailers' protests stop pedestrianisation plan Wholesale businesses report slowing sales Out-of-county traders blamed for selling fakes Norwich wholesaler hit by criminal gang Importer loses House of Lords case Photographs highlight plight of small retailers Essex residents warned about counterfeit goods New high street plan approved in Chelmsford Trade News Archive September 08 August 08 July 08 June 08 May 08 April 08 March 08 February 08 January 08 Subscribe to our newsletter   Go to The Wholesaler UK Directory 9th September 2008 East Sussex town launches own currency The town of Lewes in east Sussex has taken the unusual step of launching its own currency in a bid to protect local retailers. Mayor Michael Chartier proposed the scheme because he believed issuing residents with money that is only redeemable in participating shops would protect the local economy. Some 10,000 notes have already been produced, with each Lewes Pound pegged directly to the value of the sterling. Organisers say that in addition to protecting local retailers from larger stores, the measure is helping to increase the sense of pride residents have in their local community. Mayor Chartier told Sky News: "The idea behind it is to encourage as many local people as possible to shop locally. "Lewes has a tradition of small shops and hasn't got a large number of major chain stores that a lot of other towns have," he added. "It has traditionally been the small shops that have given Lewes its unique appeal." Observers say traders also stand to benefit from a reduction in fees associated with card-based transactions. (c) 2008 Adfero Ltd. Comment on this news story