Is Rother Tax Demand the Last Straw for Bargain Box?
Another long established business in Rye seems to be on the verge of closure.
Bargain Box in Cinque Ports Street have been there for years and carried on a newsagents business that has been run in the same street since long before World War Two.
It is claimed a tax on AIR CONDITIONING has been imposed by Rother District Council on Bargain Box. This is a tax that has never heard of by many people in business. It has been imposed and back dated for years, running into thousands of pounds.
“It is the last straw” claims newsagent John, who has got up at five every morning of the year for many years, to make sure his customers got their daily newspapers and magazines. “We will close when the lease runs out unless Amber Rudd and Lord Ampthill can get this Rother Tax demand cancelled.
It seems that this is an optional tax a District Council can impose – but the underhand way it has been applied to Bargain Box is unbelievable, yet typical of Rother District Council, who have proved to be a thorn in the side to Rye and local Business since they took over from Rye Borough Council under National Government legislation in 1973.
It appears that, save for the Rye Library, which is run by East Sussex County Council with public money, Bargain Box is the only premises in the town to have been charged. Bargain Box got a BACK DATED account to 2010!!!
John would like to know how many businesses in Bexhill have been charged this tax by Rother, who are based there?
“Rye’s Own” Bulletin Sunday 10 January 2016
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