Following the Scottish Finance Minister’s proposed Draft Budget announcement in Holyrood this afternoon, the ALMR has welcomed positive business rates measures.
With hospitality businesses hardest hit across the UK, ALMR’s CEO, Kate Nicholls welcomed the inclusion of almost all the Barclay Review recommendations in the Draft Budget, as well as additional proposals.
“The impact of business rates in the hospitality sector cannot be sustained, so this package of measures is good news for Scottish pubs, restaurants and clubs. Better still is that the move to CPI, which the Barclay Review felt was outside of its remit, will replace the higher RPI, and that larger businesses will benefit from a cut in the supplementary charge for large business premises, in line with England.
“Scotland is leading the way on business rates but there is still a real urgency for England and Wales to undertake root and branch reform of their systems, to deliver fairness to bricks and mortar businesses and hospitality operators that are among the worst hit. This will hopefully prompt further and swifter action in England and Wales.”