Main Street’s traders breathe sigh of relief
Many are winners in business rates war
There is renewed hope that a change in business rates will lead to more shops opening in Wishaw town centre.
New figures from the Scottish Government revealed that almost 80 per cent of small businesses will see a decrease or no change in the bills they pay.
There was more good news for local ratepayers as the SME Business Rates exemption level has increased from £ 10,000 to £ 15,000 and takes more hardpressed retailers out of rates payments altogether.
One of the big winners of the revaluation is Alan McCann who runs The Avenue cafe in Wishaw Main Street.
Alan is saving £8000 per year from April 1 and hopes further reductions could attract more people to open up businesses in the town centre.
He said: “We are one of the lucky ones as we have been campaigning for a number of years for a rates reduction.
“Saving £ 8000 per year is substantial. It’s essentially another salary for us.
“In theory, it should help the town centre in the long run. But a lot of the empty premises in the town are not council-owned.”
In January, the Wishaw Press revealed that 53 of the available 301 units in the town centre lay empty – amounting to 17 per cent of shops.
The figure was an increase of five units from the 2015 figures.
Wishaw has the second highest number of available units with 301 despite having had an £8 million facelift in recent years.
Motherwell and Wishaw MSP Clare Adamson said: “This latest announcement from the Scottish Government re-affirms the SNP’s commitment to small businesses in Motherwell and Wishaw.
“With over 79 per cent of small businesses in North Lanarkshire seeing either a decrease or no change in the bills that they pay, I am confident that these measures will attract business, protect vital jobs and inject new life into our treasured high streets.”
Meanwhile, Shotts MSP Alex Neil added: “The support for the tourism and hospitality sectors is very welcome – after these industries were left facing substantial hikes in their rates bills.
“It is time for the opposition parties to put their political opportunism to one side and to get behind the substantial support that the Scottish Government is proposing.”
However, Tory Central Scotland list MSP Graham Simpson claims 2500 businesses in North Lanarkshire will be hit with a rate rise.
Mr Simpson said: “At a time when we should be supporting our local businesses to encourage growth in our towns, the SNP have insisted on forcing this hike on thousands of our most hard-up businesses locally.
“As a result of mounting pressure, and despite previously stating that the budget was maxed out, the Scottish Government have miraculously found £40 million so certain sectors and the North East can have their business rate rises capped for a year at 12.5 per cent.
“This is small consolation for over the 2500 businesses in North Lanarkshire who will see their rates rise, regardless.”
Saving £8000 per year is substantial. It’s essentially another salary for us . . . Alan McCann