Newry Chamber along with 23 other Business Organisations, Chambers of Commerce and Business Improvement Districts, covering businesses in every local village, town and city, have written an open letter to every MLA and MP urging similar rates relief for Northern Ireland High Street businesses that other parts of the UK are receiving.
The combined call comes after the recent UK Budget hiked Employers National Insurance and Living Wage but provided 40% rates relief for independent retail, hospitality and leisure businesses to offset the increases.
Urgent requests to meet the First and deputy First Minister, Finance and Economy Ministers and Secretary of State have been made to discuss the worsening cost of business crisis has been made.
Please read the open letter below:
We represent a large coalition of business groups in Northern Ireland, representing members and workers in every local village, town and city and contributing £Billions to the local economy.
The UK Budget has increased the Cost of Doing Business Crisis for local high street businesses to beyond crisis point, with thousands of businesses facing an uncertain future, scaling up plans cancelled, and additional employment put on hold.
Our members are struggling to pay the highest business rates in the UK. The decision by the Chancellor to add to this burden by increasing Employers National Insurance will have a negative impact on local jobs, the viability of small businesses and restrict the growth of our economy.
This hike along with a 6.7% increase in the Living Wage is a huge cost for our members to absorb. The Chancellor announced a welcome 40% rates relief scheme for independent retailers and other high street businesses in England.
We collectively call for the Finance Minister to use the Barnett consequential of this scheme to provide appropriate rates relief for high street businesses in Northern Ireland.
This will offset the National Insurance increase and allow high street businesses to reinvest more of their money to create more jobs and boost our economy.
Previously in England small businesses received a 75% reduction in their rates to assist with the Cost of Doing Business Crisis. Despite the UK Government giving Northern Ireland this funding as part of the Barnett consequential, local small businesses did not receive a single penny of reduction in their rates bills with the money going elsewhere in the Stormont Budget.
Please support our campaign,
Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive, Retail NI
Colin Neill, Chief Executive, Hospitality Ulster
Joanna Maxwell, Chairperson, Antrim Chamber of Commerce
Brian McLister, Chair, Ballycastle Chamber of Commerce
Tom Wiggins, Chief Executive, Ballymena Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Winifred Mellet, Chair, Ballymoney Chamber of Commerce
Donal O’Reilly, Secretary, Banbridge Chamber of Commerce
Frank Shivers, President, Bangor Chamber of Commerce
Clare Guinness, Chief Executive, Belfast Chamber of Trade
Damien Corr, Manager, Cathedral Quarter BID
Karen Yates, Chief Executive, Causeway Chamber
Jamie Hall, Manager, Coleraine BID
Patrick Blake, Chairperson, Enniskillen BID
Michele Shirlow, Chief Executive, Food NI
Brian McRandal, Chair, Larne Business Forum
Ruth Young, Chair, Lisburn Chamber of Commerce
Anna Doherty, Chief Executive, Londonderry Chamber of Commerce
Eamonn Connolly, Manager, Newry BID
Michael Savage, Chief Executive, Newry Chamber Chamber of Commerce & Trade
Derek Wright, President, Newtownards Chamber of Trade
Michael Henderson, Chief Executive, NI Food to Go Association
John Edgar, President, Omagh Chamber of Commerce
Kieran Kennedy, Chair, Strabane BID
Martina Connolly, Chief Executive, Belfast One BID