The National Federation of Retail Newsagents held their Annual Conference at Torquay last week, and newly elected National President in his opening speech sent shock waves throughout the whole Industry within minutes of his 26 minute 32 second time on the rostrum.

Solly Khonat from Blackburn who was elected by a show of hands, has been on the scene for a number of years, and whilst his die hard supporters may be happy with his success of reaching the pinnacle of the federation even they must have been alarmed of his new revolutionary plans for the next twelve months.

Within minutes of his opening remarks he mortified conference when stating that the NFRN have been spending too much time on news and magazines which is now irrelevant in a declining trade, and emphasised the NFRN would now focus their attentions to fighting the erosion in Tobacco sales!

This created headlines news in the weekly trade magazine (Retail Newsagent) last Thursday and despite Khonat now trying to retract such remarks the damage has already been done, and the backlash from the industry certainly waits! Copies of the man’s speech are available on the federation website, and whilst it paints a slightly different picture, the facts remain not everyone at the venue was asleep!

The outgoing National President Naresh Purohit from Kent had his supporters to the degree that in one publisher’s opinion he was the federations best ever president, and whilst that comment may fail to attract every ones opinion, the man never the less had the professional knowledge knowing that the NFRN main objective was news and magazines, always has been, and always will be.

This was clearly stated at the February National Council meeting Birmingham when Purohit emphasised most strongly he did not need to apologise for the time being spent on the subject because news and magazines is the NFRN and always will be.

Whilst delegates were flabbergasted, no doubt publishers and wholesalers were organising a party to celebrate the NFRN no longer being an issue within the news trade for the NFRN National President believes his members now believe the industry is heading into the non entity syndrome.

Mind you, if everyone believes the statement made by Khonat in the current edition of the Convenience Store that against all odds the NFRN membership is currently increasing, then he must have the opinion the sky is the limit!,

No doubt Mr Khonat is now looking remove the whole news operations committee, and I should imagine the head of the news/magazines Stefan Wojciechowski will be seen down the his local job centre, but then again he could be in line on the new public affairs committee!

Only time will tell, but the sooner someone starts to install the mechanism of the NFRN to Khonat the better, for unless this decision is reversed immediately then newsagents guru Webbo’s prediction of five years ago will almost certainly become a reality! And that would never do!

(NFRN)

Not For Real Newsagents!

Tags: Naresh Purohit, National Federation of Retail Newsagents, Newsagents, NFRN, Retail Newsagent, Solly Khonat, Stefan Wojciechowski, Tobacco sales