From Mark Timmerman (Mooch Cafe Bar)

Sunday, 11 February 2018

Of all the tens of catering outlets in Hebden Bridge, it is sad that Mooch Café Bar were one of the very few to use Holts every day.

If we are to protect Hebden Bridge high street we have to support each other. It is shame to see whole sale veg van visiting the town when our only local fruit and veg shop can not make ends meet.   So support your local shops, Bonsalls, Saker Bread, John the milk man, Chris the window cleaner, Chesswells accountants.... to name but a few local Hebden Bridge businesses.

From Graham Barker

Wednesday, 21 February 2018

I recommend this site as a bit of an eye-opener: enter the postcode of a business and find out what it’s paying (before any allowances) in business rate, and sometimes council tax as well.  

I’m amazed Holts survived as long as it did - their payable business rate is nearly £7000 a year. Add on rent and other overheads and it’s a huge amount for a greengrocer to find before making a penny in profit. Compare that with the £3630 payable by the much larger Bear Café in Todmorden (see different thread). And those of you who complain about high beer prices, take a look at the charge on Hebden Bridge pubs.

Small shop owners are I think entitled to ask exactly what value for money they get for their business rate, especially when they probably also have to pay council tax at home.

The logic of high business rates is that independent shops will increasingly be squeezed out of Hebden Bridge and replaced by branches of national chains, who can afford the business rate and can probably even negotiate discounts. Expect more FatFaces, Boots and Ladbrokes, and probably a Wetherspoons (see yet another thread). Expect fewer great little shops, as no amount of funkiness can easily beat a punitive business rate.

From Gary W

Thursday, 22 February 2018

I've been told by a reliable source that it was an attempt to double the rent the shop was paying that led the people running the business to decide it was no longer viable. Nothing to do with the level of business rates as I understand it.