Grimsby MP leads call to shut down ‘dodgy shops’ blighting local high streets

A Grimsby MP is at the heart of a new national campaign to seek tougher action on rogue businesses. Melanie Onn MP (Labour – Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes) has teamed up with Jo Platt MP (Labour – Leigh and Atherton) to launch the campaign.

“People in Grimsby and Cleethorpes are proud of their high streets and want to see them thrive,” said Ms Onn.

“But too often, we see a handful of irresponsible shops stocking illegal vapes, avoiding tax, and selling their products to underage customers. These rogue traders undermine the trust that our communities place in local businesses that play by the rules.”

“We now need to go further to give councils and trading standards officers the tools they need to shut down offenders once and for all."

The issue of “dodgy shops” has been raised by Ms Onn multiple times since she was elected at last year’s general election.

At PMQs in July, she linked illicit goods and illegal working to an “explosion of vape shops, fake barbers, Harry Potter shops and American candy stores” and called on the Prime Minister to commit to a national strategy to “tackle the scourges of the high street.”

Sir Keir Starmer said in March there was a major crackdown on criminals laundering money through high street businesses, and “there was much more to come.”

Ms Onn also attended a trading standards raid in North East Lincolnshire earlier this Autumn.

Between April and June alone, over 800 e-cigarettes and vapes were seized by the council’s trading standards team.