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In my opinion long High streets are past their sell by date,however there may be good news around the corner...
The burden of business rates must be eased
The Treasury has assumed the role of the old town hall bosses, imposing onerous financial demands on a vulnerable yet crucial part of the economy
The impact of business rates has been especially hard to bear since the crash of 2008, which hit the retail industry severely and contributed to the hollowing-out of many high streets
The impact of business rates has been especially hard to bear since the crash of 2008, which hit the retail industry severely and contributed to the hollowing-out of many high streets
On December 5, George Osborne will deliver his annual Autumn Statement. Should we expect much? The economy appears to be on the mend, unemployment is falling and, while the cost of living remains a worry for many, the Chancellor's instinct must be to do as little as possible to rock the boat.
Yet if Mr Osborne truly wants to support the recent recovery, we would urge him to use this year's statement to tackle a long-running concern of retailers and other commercial enterprises - the burden of business rates. Boris Johnson noted on these pages yesterday that these are the chief grievance raised by company bosses in the capital; but their effect, as John Longworth of the British Chambers of Commerce argues on our Business pages today, is felt far beyond London.