UK: Petrol Retail Association to Fight Hike in Business Rates
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Monday, 30 November 2009 |
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Hundreds of rural petrol stations could be put out of business by big
hikes in business rates coming into force next April, it has been
warned.
The RMI Independent Petrol Retailers Association (RMI Petrol) -
representing two-thirds of the UK's 9,000 petrol stations - is planning
a parliamentary fight against the rises, which it said could "ravage"
its members. The association is protesting because the business
rates of independent petrol stations are based on their relatively high
turnover rather than square footage like other retailers.
The latest round of proposed rate increases by the Valuation Office
Agency (VOA) has put forward business rate increases of up to 200% in
some cases, RMI Petrol said. Rising petrol prices have been a
major factor behind the revaluations, but the organisation has warned
the rate of closures among independent petrol retailers could double to
around 500 a year if the hikes come into force - leaving many rural
communities without a life-line.
Chairman Brian Madderson said: "It is totally unacceptable that the VOA
is threatening to put some of our members out of business in these
recessionary times. "We are calling upon the VOA to re-consider their
process, before the sector gets ravaged, especially with the prospect
of yet more casualties in fragile rural economies."
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