A heavy gonad thwack to the government/local government who are re-formulating the method of calculating business rates.
I couldn’t think of a better way of removing the remaining few small businesses left in our beleaguered high streets…
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Now bare with me on this a minute, I’m not an expert on ‘things’, but it seems to me that successive governments seem hell bent on fucking everything up all the time, am I somewhere close?
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Is this some kind of “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” offer ? 
.
VB
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I take your point Jim. But if you accept the premise that “someone’s got to pay for stuff” then the question boils down to “Should the people in the more expensive properties pay or should the people in the cheaper properties pay ?”.
I can see the argument that says the more expensive properties are more expensive because demand exceeds supply. If small businesses couldn’t afford the high rents then the rents would fall. Or businesses that can afford the rents (presumably because they’re selling things that the public are prepared to pay a higher margin on) would move in. If a business can only afford a high rent because it’s not paying its fair share of the taxes then we have to ask how many businesses in Swansea or Warrington or Sunderland are going to be overburdened so Jeanette Winterson can carry on selling trendy coffee and sandwiches in her ‘characterful’ shop in Spitalfields …
VB
Best offer I’ve had all morning, thank you!
http://i.perezhilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/katy-perry-booby-squirt-gif.gif
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I think it’s more complicated than that. There are a number of additional factors.
Ultimately the government needs to raise money; it’s best ways are to tax income (income tax, NI, corporation tax) or capital (rates, council tax). It’s a complicated fudge to try to maximise income and not piss off voters. One might like to think that fairness might come into it, but I’m not sure it’s much of a factor really!
Oh and an interesting perspective is that supermarkets seem to employ the same prices across the nation, so the additional cost of doing business in remote areas, or wealthy ones, is implicitly subsidised by others.
Oh indeed, it’s much more complex than just the business rates. When it comes down to it they are just one element of government revenue and also one element of business costs.
Government spokespeople keep saying that for every business which is worse off because of the rate rises there will be three who are either no worse off or are actually better off. Mrs VB keeps asking when the first of these is going to be heard on the news. The fact is that the unhurt don’t feel the need to make a big noise about it of course. And media reporters don’t make any effort to get their point of view a) because content people aren’t news and b) because property values have inflated most in That London so getting to hear the other side of the argument would involve them phoning or, heaven forbid, even going outside the M25.
VB
I remember hearing on the BBC them go to their “North of England correspondent”, and the look on the news anchor’s face was like the journo was in Ulan Bator.
Correct
the BBC
I wonder how long it’ll take them to notice,
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Ticketmaster making a car crash of Ryan Adams UK tour pre-sale this a.m. 
http://www.gigsandtours.com/tour/ryan-adams/?pre=raspotifypre&src=ryanadamsspotifypresale
with the code PINBALL (caps) will still get you in as of now.
Notice?
Me. Again. I’m in Edinburgh tonight prior to a game of golf tomorrow then camping…
I miss Edinburgh…and never thought I’d say that.
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Was in Edinburgh yesterday. I love the place.
With me, I fear it is rose coloured spectacles.
Driving tonight up past Dunbar and East Linton, I really got pangs. Remembering walks up Trapain Law with my lovely spaniel Skye.
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If you fancy it sometime we should organise a trip up North and meet up with fellow slaughter men North of o’ border.
Ah, my parents in law lived in West Linton and my wife is from Gullane. I have a lot of happy memories of that area - North Berwick being a favourite.
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Good plan. Best do it quick before the wall goes up.
Why is it that a country that can make such great whisky brews such horrible beer? Never worked that one out.