The ALMR has criticised Barnet Borough Council’s insistence that venues be accredited under the Healthier Catering Commitment run by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health before receiving discretionary rates relief.
Eating and drinking out businesses in the London Borough of Barnet must be accredited before they receive a portion of the discretionary fund announced at the Spring Budget and distributed to local authorities.
ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “This is an unreasonable condition by the Council which runs counter to the spirit of the relief.
“The discretionary fund was made available by the Government in recognition that hardworking businesses are suffering from exorbitant rates increases and need assistance. The issue of rates has nothing to do whatsoever with healthy catering and Barnet Council has either fundamentally misunderstood the point of the relief, or is spuriously trying to increase burdens for businesses.”
Senan Sexton, licensee of The Bohemia in North Finchley is facing a £23,456 increase in his rates bill before any reliefs are applied.
Sexton said: “The most frustrating thing is the obscure and seemingly indiscriminate and inconsistent nature of the system. There is no rhyme or reason to the way in which relief is distributed, or not distributed in this case. Making us sign up to a scheme that nobody has heard of, while other businesses get an automatic relief, is completely bizarre.
“A similar pub, five minutes away in the neighbouring borough is looking at a 42% cut in their rates because, thankfully for them, their local authority has got their act together and applied relief that has been promised to businesses. Meanwhile, I am waiting for help that was promised in the Spring Budget and is still yet to materialise.
“Clearly, there is no coherent system at local authority level in place for the distribution of relief to those businesses that need it most.”