In a letter to the new finance minister Sajid Javid, the retailers called on the government to take action to"fix the broken business rates system".LONDON - More than 50 British retailers, including Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, Asda and Morrisons have urged the government to freeze business rates to help out the struggling sector.
Business rates are taxes to help pay for local services, charged on most commercial properties, including shops, warehouses, pubs, cafes and restaurants. They are currently calculated according to the rental value of properties and have an annual inflationary uplift or multiplier.The retailers' letter was coordinated by lobby group, the British Retail Consortium , which has for years complained the current system is unfair.
"This disparity is damaging our high streets and harming the communities they support," said BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson.
matigary