SHOPKEEPERS HAIL BORIS PACKAGE AS SURE-FIRE BOOST FOR BUSINESS
RETAILERS at the sharp end of business rates have told how a promised cut could bring a big boost to the UK high street.
Shopkeepers in Bournemouth yesterday said the policy was a vote-winner but called for high rents and parking charges to come under the same scrutiny.
Steven White, 67, owner of gift shop Enigma said: “Independent traders are getting squeezed both by business rates and high rents, the combination of which is crippling. All there seems to be now are vaping shops, tattoo parlours, barbers and cafes.”
David Ragg, 52, who owns Lansdowne Florist, said high business rates had forced him to make two members of staff redundant this year. “It’s been really hard – as challenging as it can be. The government needs to look at how business rates are formulated to help small businesses,” he said.
Luke Dennison, 41, who pays business rates of £12,000-a-year for men’s clothing shop, Ashes, welcomed the reduction but said there needs to be an “internet parity tax”. He added: “A lot of people will vote for him if he delivers this. The business rates
system is archaic and needs to be modernised to catch up with how retail has evolved in the past 20 years.”
Chloe White, 22, manager of the Pause Cat Cafe, said: “It is really bad. We started two-anda-half years ago with ten staff and we are now down to three. Business rates are unreasonable
at the moment, so any reduction would massively help.”
And Tina Williams, 60, who owns Imelda’s Wardrobe said: “Good on Boris for doing this.”
But she asked why anyone would shop in town centres when there is free parking at retail parks. “There needs to be a level playing field,” she added.