YOU HAVE YOUR SAY
EVERY week, Money Mail receives hundreds of your letters and emails about our stories. Here are some from our article about how High Street shops are struggling to cope with ever-increasing business rates:
MY FRIEND rented a small shoe shop. She spent £10,000 doing it up, then £3,000 per month on rent. But it was the £8,000 per annum business rates that smothered her. You’d have to sell a lot of shoes to have a chance of breaking even. S. K., Leeds.
IT’S TERRIBLE. I know a woman who opened a jewellery shop — she did well at first, but had to shut down in the end as the business rates were crippling. Many people said how sad they were that the shop closed. B. V., Wiltshire.
YEARS ago, the level of local rates allowed small traders to operate a viable business. Back then you saw where your money was going: rubbish was collected weekly and you didn’t have hit-squads of traffic wardens. S. B., Southampton.
WE’VE lost a lot of shops in Wandsworth. My friend owns a newsagent and he told me it’s because of business rates. We have no bookshops now. J. S., London.
CHARITY shops are businesses and they compete against other retailers. They already have a big advantage because they don’t have to pay for their stock. In my opinion, they shouldn’t be exempt from business rates. They make enough money to pay their CEOs well. B. C., Huddersfield.
WE USED to go to town to visit the bank and browse the shops. We’d have a meal and enjoy a day out. But I don’t see why I should now it’s £5 for parking. Local and central government are completely out of touch. W. D., Kent.