This means more shops in the North benefited from relief in the pandemic – and therefore more of them will see a large increase in their business rates bills when that relief is cut in April.
Brown, 65, said he and other retailers in cities such as York fear what may happen to some of the smaller shops which are so vital to their high streets once the ‘punitive’ cut to business rate relief comes in.
The move means retail, hospitality, and leisure firms face an extra £140million increase in bills in April when the relief is slashed from 75 per cent to 40 per cent.
‘It is therefore likely that many more businesses based in the North will have received full relief compared to those in the South, and will therefore feel more of the pain from this 140 per cent increase in the rates bill.’.
Business rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure firms gave a 75 per cent discount on the bill up to a cash value of £110,000.
