Monday 26 July 2021

Thin End Of The Wedge..?

Four shops have agreed to stop selling knives as Barking and Dagenham retailers sign up to a scheme to tackle violent crime among young people.

Why so shocked, Julia, isn't this de rigueur these days? 

The London-wide Responsible Retailer Scheme is part of a commitment by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), the Metropolitan Police and London Trading Standards to reduce and prevent knife-related crime.
Fourteen retailers in the borough that sell knives and bladed items have signed up to the agreement, which was launched by the council in partnership with Barking and Dagenham police.

Indeed, but they aren't talking about not selling to underage shoppers, or challenging on age grounds - they are no longer selling them altogether: 

Chadwell Handy Shop and the three B&M stores in the borough also agreed to stop selling knives.

That Chadwell Heath shop better change its name... 

Cllr Margaret Mullane, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, said: “We know there is an issue with knife crime amongst young people, so it is extremely important that we all work together to tackle the issue, and this includes families, schools, shops and the wider community.”

Anyone want to bet the pressure will now be on the other ten shops to follow suit? 

4 comments:

The Jannie said...

This is the "must be seen to be doing something" mentality we are funding. Just like: Idiot doing 30mph over the limit kills himself and his passengers? Post lower speed limits.

Anonymous said...

Just more virtue signaling, the problem isn't the availability of knives which we all know are everywhere. The problem is the growing number of idiots why want to stick knives into people.

Ted Treen said...

Next week: to combat the escalating occurrence of car crime amongst the young, police will be asking all motor traders to stop selling cars.

They're not even one stop from Barking.

JuliaM said...

"This is the "must be seen to be doing something" mentality we are funding."

Yup. And funny how it's always the thing that will inconvenience others, but never the target, isn't it?

"... the problem isn't the availability of knives which we all know are everywhere. The problem is the growing number of idiots why want to stick knives into people."

Who believe themselves untouchable.

"They're not even one stop from Barking."

For accuracy's sake, it's generally 'two stops'... 😉