Glasgow East End retailer uses £25K to fight store crime
Natalie Lightfoot, who runs Londis Solo Convenience in Baillieston, was crowned one of the National Winners at Allwyn's Local Retail Champions awards in December.
She and her husband, Martin, received £5000 in cash and a store makeover worth up to £20,000, awarded for their outstanding service to the local community.
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Now, Natalie is using that prize money to enhance safety in her store. She's invested in staff communication headsets and is upgrading the CCTV system, which had been in place for more than 15 years.
She said: "The headsets have been a godsend.
"The store has thick walls, making it difficult to hear each other in different areas of the shop, so the headsets allow us all to communicate and respond to things quickly as a team. "
The new CCTV system, due to be fully installed in the coming weeks, will provide clearer images to help identify and report offenders more effectively.
She said: "We're also in the process of getting new CCTV installed, which will provide clearer pictures as the current system is quite pixelated and very dated."
Londis Solo team (Image: Supplied)
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Natalie is also exploring AI-powered retail technology as the next phase of her security overhaul.
Her commitment to tackling retail crime is well known. Last year, she spoke at the Scottish Parliament, urging MSPs to support independent retailers through funding for security equipment and other preventative measures.
Natalie said the makeover would not have been possible without the funding.
She said: "We wouldn't have been able to get any of this new equipment without the Local Retail Champions makeover money, not for a long while anyway.'
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Alison Acquaye-Acford, Allwyn's Director of Commercial Partnerships and Retail Sales, praised Natalie's efforts.
She said: 'We know Natalie is passionate about store security for retailers and has spoken publicly about the subject in the past, so we're really happy we've been able to support her own store's security needs with the store makeover.
"And she and her husband are absolutely deserving of the prize – they are a shining example of retailers who go above and beyond for their local community, which is precisely why they were crowned one of our two National Winners at Allwyn's 2024 Local Retail Champions awards."
Natalie and Martin were nominated by their customers in recognition of their work beyond the shop counter, including charity fundraisers, litter-picking initiatives, and a home delivery service for vulnerable residents.
The Local Retail Champions programme is part of Allwyn's £1 million annual Social Value Fund, aimed at supporting National Lottery operations in a socially and environmentally responsible way. Details for the next round of the programme are expected in the coming months.
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