In a preliminary response to the Chancellor's Autumn
Statement, Scottish Retail Consortium director David Lonsdale
said:
On the headline business rate:
“The Chancellor has flubbed the chance to freeze the business
rate. This short-sighted decision means the medium-sized and
larger retailers across the UK who underpin the vitality of our
town and city centres and employ the vast majority of retail
workers are now staring down the barrel of a hefty £540 million
hike in their business rates bills from next Spring. A hike of
this magnitude will put upward pressure on shop prices and
undermine efforts to rejuvenate high streets and retail
destinations. This misstep is the antithesis of the Prime
Minister’s anti-inflation strategy and recently unveiled long
term plan for towns. Hopefully, the Scottish Government’s Finance
Secretary will take a more enlightened approach and go further
and freeze the business rate or at least blunt any uplift in next
month’s Scottish Budget.”
On retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors’ rates relief:
“Last year shops and hospitality businesses here in Scotland
missed out on the rates relief available to their counterparts in
England and Wales. With relief for retail, hospitality and
leisure sectors in England being extended temporarily once again
this time it is imperative that the Finance Secretary ensures a
similar rates discount applies equally in Scotland.”
