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6 Dec 2023

Bristol and Cirencester-based bespoke fine jewellery retailer Titcombe Bespoke Jewellery, a member of the National Association of Jewellers, has received one of its most unusual commissions...

6 Dec 2023

Reynolds’ Butchers in Parbold, near Wigan, have set up a scheme called Mary’s Mince to help people living in the village.

5 Dec 2023

Research commissioned by American Express Shop Small reveals the top 10 high streets for independent shops in the UK, shining a light on the nation’s small businesses that play...

5 Dec 2023

A new campaign is calling on police & crime commissioners to tackle crime on a local level, as theft against convenience retailers reaches record highs.

4 Dec 2023

Recent data from VistaPrint, reported by London Loves Business, has revealed that 70% of London small businesses generate up to a substantial 86% of their annual revenue...

23 Nov 2023

Retail sector leaders have expressed a range of concerns, from taxation to business rates, following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement this week.

22 Nov 2023

Six independent bookshops from around the UK have been named as the winners of the inaugural Booker Prize Indie Bookshop Spotlight, a competition in which independent bookshops and booksellers...

21 Nov 2023

The National Federation of Subpostmasters has received a response from new Conservative party chairman Richard Holden MP regarding the petition to keep DVLA services in post offices.
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21 Nov 2023

The British Business Bank has launched a new guide aimed at smaller businesses to help them understand how different financial products can support them at all stages of their development.

21 Nov 2023

Independent retailers across the UK are set to defy the Black Friday sales frenzy for the third year running, according to a survey conducted by Bira, the British Independent Retailers...

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Bira launches business rates manifesto

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News , Creative News, Outdoor News, Political News

The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has launched a business rates manifesto, in an attempt to shift the government's approach to the tax, reports Drapers.

The manifesto, which was unveiled at the House of Commons on 11 September, proposes the introduction of a rateable allowance for small businesses of £12,000 per property, which would aim to alleviate the burden of business rates on smaller businesses.

Introducing the proposal, Bira chief executive Alan Hawkins stressed the urgency of finding a simple, swift solution to the issue that has dogged the independents sector: "Without help, there will be no medium or long term in which to have these discussions."

The proposed allowance would operate in a similar way to the personal tax allowance. Small businesses - classed as those with a rateable value below £51,000 - would be able to receive a £12,000 allowance on their calculated business rates. The allowance would then taper over the £51,000 threshold.

Currently, businesses with a rateable value of £12,000 or under are eligible for business rates relief, with a taper up to £15,000. Hawkins said the proposed allowance would prevent a "cliff edge" for retailers suddenly facing huge rates increases.

Bira estimates that the average rateable value for its members' stores is at least £20,000 - well about the level that qualifies for help.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, MP for The Cotswolds, who hosted the launch at the Houses of Parliament, said the allowance offered a "pro-business, pragmatic solution" and would "simplify the tax system and cut the tax paid by small retailers."

In addition to providing relief, the proposals aim to go some way towards levelling the playing field between online businesses and high street shops, to give small bricks-and-mortar retailers more opportunity to thrive.

Hawkins noted that the current imbalance would only speed up the shift to online: "If you have a non-cyclical, unfair property tax that singles out one sector how can you say that habits are not being pushed rather than evolving."

Surinder Josan, national president of Bira, also stressed the importance of encouraging change in order to promote entrepreneurial spirit in the independent sector: "The business environment is counterintuitive to those that suggest that the high street needs to change and evolve to survive. The maths just isn't there. We need to encourage an entrepreneurial environment."

Bira has presented the proposals to the Treasury and is currently working on impact studies concerning the details of the project. Sir Clifton-Brown committed to calling a debate on the issue in the House of Commons, while Baron Lord Naseby, who also attended the event, promised to submit the question of business rates in the House of Lords.

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