High street struggles: 2,000 local stores, pubs and hairdressers wiped away this year Retail Nearly 2,000 independent local stores were left vacant in the first half of this year, as the cost of living crisis continues to eat away at the health of the high street and small businesses. Some 1,915 independent businesses on high streets, retail parks and shopping centres closed in the first leg of this year, marking [...]
Second homeowners who flipped holiday home set to pocket £191m despite upcoming crackdown Second homes About £191m of new pandemic grants from the Government is coming to second homeowners’ pockets, for those who flipped their holiday homes into letting businesses. The revelations come despite a new crackdown, announced at the end of last week. Councils across England have started distributing £635m in grants to businesses affected by the Government’s Plan [...]
Business rates ‘aren’t fit for purpose’ and are stifling small businesses, says FSB Small businesses The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling upon extensions and changes to existing rate relief bills for small businesses.
Misery for London retailers as they face £575m business rates bill November 27, 2023 Retail properties in London could be faced with an extra £575.55m in business rates next year as they are not eligible for support measures.
UK risks falling in scientific investment, industry warns November 13, 2023 Jeremy Hunt’s ambition to turn the UK into a “science superpower” is at risk unless he increases tax relief, the BVCA has warned.
‘A cruel blow’: Loungers boss bemoans Hunt’s lack of business rates support for larger firms November 28, 2023 The boss of Loungers has criticised chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s decision to not extend business rates relief to larger firms, describing it as a “cruel blow”. Speaking to City A.M, the chief of the casual dining chain, Nick Collins, said: “It’s going to add to the inflationary pressure, at a time when hospitality really struggled with [...]
UK tech industry welcomes Hunt’s R&D tax relief November 22, 2023 The UK tech industry has welcomed the Chancellor's plans to create a new "simplified" research and development (R&D) tax relief scheme in his Autumn Statement on Wednesday.
Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin slashes prices in tax battle with supermarkets September 4, 2023 Tim Martin has warned that the biggest threat to the hospitality industry is the “vast disparity” in tax treatment
Food inflation falls again but business rate hikes could unravel progress November 28, 2023 Increases to business rates and the national living wage could reverse progress made to lower food inflation, experts have warned.
Central London Alliance calls on Treasury to reinstate tax-free shopping and generate an estimated £10 billion January 31, 2024 Ahead of the budget announcement on 6 March 2024, Central London Alliance (CLA) has submitted a proposal calling for the Treasury to reinstate tax-free shopping in efforts to help the retail sector recover from post-pandemic challenges. CLA backs requests by the retailers to reintroduce the scheme allowing foreign visitors to the UK to shop tax-free. [...]