Business rates anger local business man

I have lived and worked in Lisburn all my life and over the last few years have witnessed the slow and painful death of our city’s shops.

Everyone knows we are going through the mother of all recessions but the Lisburn City Council is continuing to demand these extortionate rates from the businesses.

Shop after shop closes but new legislation means the landlords will have to foot the bill for the full rateable value.

Rates are assessed on location and square footage but I can tell you now, prime location doesn’t mean anything any more in this city. Saturday, apart, the city Monday to Friday doesn’t attract customers or footfall any more.

Everyone is struggling and the Council needs to look at this urgently.

Gone are the days the bin collection and water rates are incorporated in to the rates bill. Nowadays we have three separate bills.

Signage boards to advertise your business are not allowed on our streets any more so we just pray customers guess what we are selling.

I’m guessing the rates will go up some kind of percent in the new year and more and more shops ill close down.

Wake up and smell the coffee because if you don’t Lisburn will become a ghost town on Saturday as well.

Very concerned business man