Businesses Encouraged To Take Up Rates Relief Scheme

Finance Minister Simon Hamilton has encouraged Northern Ireland businesses to make use of the Empty Retail Premises Rate Relief Scheme, introduced to help revitalise local towns and cities.

The Minister made the comments as he was paying a visit to Gillian’s Barber Shop in Newtownards, County Down, which has recently availed of the scheme.

"Over 200 businesses across Northern Ireland have already taken advantage of almost £1.1m of empty retail premises rate relief in the last two years," he said.

"I am delighted to visit Gillian today to see at first-hand how these businesses are doing and how much vibrancy they add to our local towns and cities. The relief applies to all types of businesses, not just the retail trade. I would encourage businesses to start-up in an empty retail unit and take advantage of the Empty Retail Premises Relief to help establish their business.”

The Empty Retail Premises Relief Scheme, which runs until 31 March 2015, was introduced in April 2012 to get long-term empty retail premises back into business use. It offers 50% rate relief for up to a year, once retail premises become occupied. The scheme applies to any business ratepayer who moves into premises, which were previously used for retail purposes and have been unoccupied for 12 months or more.

Gillian McLaughlin, owner of Gillian’s Barber Shop said: "Without assistance from this scheme I would never have been able to start up my own business and now that it is established, I plan to develop it further including employing staff. I would encourage anyone thinking of setting up in business to consider doing so in an empty retail premises and take full advantage of the assistance on offer."

(IT/MH)