Tag: business rates



Despatches from the High Street

Posted on 9 November, 2012 by Neil Bird under Economy

Sheffield cafe owner says business rates and Costa forced him out Much has been written about the difficulties facing high street retailers. This year there have been a number of notable casualties including JJB Sports, Clinton Cards and Game. A... Read More

Rates Revaluation Halt is a ‘Poll Tax’ for Businesses Says MP

Posted on 3 November, 2012 by Neil Bird under Industry News

The government has been warned that the proposal to postpone the business rates revaluation until 2017 is the “retail equivalent of the poll tax.” In a heated parliamentary debate MPs also questioned whether the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) was “fit... Read More

Scottish Businesses Unite Against Rates Proposal

Posted on 30 October, 2012 by Neil Bird under Industry News

Business groups in Scotland have united to oppose plans to reform rates relief on empty properties. Under the proposals, due to be discussed by parliament, business rates relief on unoccupied premises will be cut from 50 per cent to 10 per cent. Supporters of... Read More

Business Rates Revaluation Postponement Criticised By BPF

Posted on 19 October, 2012 by Neil Bird under Industry News

The British Property Federation (BPF) has criticised the government’s decision to postpone the business rates revaluation until 2017. Chief executive Liz Peace describes the postponement as a ‘shot in the foot’ for retailers and as embedding injustices... Read More

Retailers Call for Freeze in Business Rates

Posted on 17 October, 2012 by Neil Bird under Business News

A group of leading retail figures have called on the government to freeze business rates in order to encourage investment and protect jobs in the sector. The plea was made in a letter published in the Financial Times on Monday. The 14 signatories include the... Read More

Scottish Government Proposes Fresh Start for Unoccupied Commercial Properties

Posted on 30 September, 2012 by Neil Bird under Economy

The Scottish Government is proposing business rates discounts as an incentive to bring unoccupied shops and offices back into use. Under the ‘Fresh Start’ scheme new occupants of properties that have been empty for 12 months or more will be entitled to a... Read More

Manchester is Open for Business

Posted on 29 September, 2012 by Neil Bird under Industry News

Costs for businesses in Manchester are among the lowest in the world when compared to other large industrialised cities, a new report from KPMG reveals.... Read More

New Commercial Properties Open, but Employment Levels Still Falling

Posted on 29 October, 2011 by MOVEHUT under Business News, Economy, Industry News

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported that a larger amount of new retail commercial properties opened throughout the UK in September this year; although the number of unemployed people in retail jobs still fell.... Read More

Empty Commercial Property Rates Relief Cut Unfair

Posted on 16 September, 2011 by MOVEHUT under Business News, Economy, Industry News

The government’s decision to cut the Empty Property Rates Relief threshold this year has caused a great deal of concern within the commercial property and industrial property sector,... Read More