THIS IS JUST A POLL TAX ON OUR PUBS
Licensed trade anger over rates rise
A rates hike on Scotland’s pubs and hotels has been compared to the hated poll tax by a leading industry figure.
Paul Waterson warned the huge increases could force many licensed premises out of business.
And the Scottish Licensed Trade Association chief executive said landlords may adopt a “can’t pay, won’t pay” revolt against the levy.
The new rates, set by the Scottish Assessors Association, will not be finalised until mid March.
Businesses will be locked into a figure for five years based on their most recent turnover f igures and the next review won’t be until 2022.
Waterson said: “We’ve been through a lot of challenges such as the smoking ban and drinkdrive laws but this could be the trade’s poll tax moment. People just can’t pay. It’s not defiance, they can’t afford it.”
The Scottish Tourism Alliance,
which includes the SLTA, have requested urgent talks with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and cabinet secretaries on the issue.
STA chief executive Marc Crothall said: “The risk is members will default on payment – not out of choice but necessity.”
The SLTA said one Stirling hotel will see their rates rise from £119,000 to £191,000 – an increase of 60 per cent – while the closest Asda store had an increase of just 0.4 per cent.
Dundee pub Duke’s Corner face a 240 per cent increase from £20,000 per year to £ 68,000.
Donald MacLeod, owner of the Garage nightclub in Glasgow, said: “Our rates were £100,000 and are going up by 97 per cent for the same services, which are nil. There are rumblings of mass non-payment. If there was an organised campaign, it might have a lot of subscribers.”
The Scottish Government said: “Each council retains all the business rates revenue they collect and it is for councils to apply rates reductions, on top of existing statutory reliefs, as they see fit. Individual business ratepayers can appeal their valuation via independent processes if they feel it is incorrect.”
The poll tax’s introduction in Scotland in 1989, before the rest of the UK, sparked protests and the Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay non-payment campaign.