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BUSINESS RATES - JOIN THE BATTLE TO HAVE THEM LOWERED
Posted by LAPADA The Association of Art & Antiques Dealers - NEWS & VIEWS on 06/06/2009
The huge cost of of business rates is something that has been plaguing our members and contributing to shop closures for a number of years. It is of course a problem that is not unique to the antiques industry but affects all small businesses, resulting in the disappearance of many individual small shops and the 'cloning of the high street'. It has generally been our opinion that the problem would be best tackled together with the Federation of Small Businesses, however we give our wholehearted support to Henry Sandon and Michael Brunt's valiant initiative.
Their campaign to get the government to support the fine art and antiques industry is gathering momentum. They have already received considerable backing from press such as The Times, Antiques Trade Gazette, Country Life magazine and Retail Jeweller but need to keep the support flooding in so that their petition can make a real difference to our industry. As the government's latest budget report focused on incentives for those businesses that were 'green', they should also be focusing on the oldest method of recycling and one of the most environmentally friendly industries in the world.
Once they have over 5,000 names on the list, they will be taking the petition and your views to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP, to gain his response. They have already garnered a plethora of support not only from the UK but also from antiques dealers and lovers throughout the world.
LAPADA has already signed the petition and we would urge you to do the same by visiting www.antiques.co.uk/antiques-petition.cfm
USEFUL LINKS:
- Shipping
- Auctions
- advertise with us
- Antique Centre of the Week
- Shop of the week
- Stolen and lost works
- Valuations
- Vetting Committee
