High street stores to face challenges amid rising business rising costs

Retail, leisure, and hospitality businesses in Liverpool and other flagship high streets across the UK are facing rising costs that could impact jobs, growth, and future investment, according to a new report from High Streets UK.

A survey of 115 businesses operating on high streets in Liverpool, London, Birmingham, and Bristol highlights concerns over rising operational costs, including:

The Government confirmed changes to employers’ national insurance and the national minimum wage in last year’s Autumn Statement, but the proposed creation of a new ‘super tax’ business rates multiplier is currently undergoing a consultation period. Properties set to be affected by the new ‘super tax’ multiplier are those with a rateable value of over £500,000.

The survey revealed that the majority of businesses set to be impacted by the new higher multiplier (69%) will seek to manage costs by reviewing staffing requirements – threatening up to 5,500 jobs in these locations. 64% of those impacted businesses will consider passing on the additional costs to consumers, with analysis suggesting that prices would need to rise by around 3% to offset the increased tax burden.

A third of affected businesses are considering reviewing their investment strategies in the UK (34%) or closing certain locations (31%) as a result. This could put up to 600 trading units at risk, with over 200 potentially facing permanent closure.

Despite Government claims the proposals will target online giants, properties subject to new higher ‘super tax’ multipliers are 5.1x more likely to be in flagship high street locations like Birmingham, Liverpool or London than anywhere else.

Often leased or owned by large retail, hospitality or leisure operators, or professional services firms, these businesses could be subject to a collective increase in business rates liabilities of up to £69 million.

Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool BID Company, said:

“These figures are very concerning for our city centre businesses in Liverpool. This burden should not be carried by our high streets, and it certainly shouldn’t be carried by the consumers who will end up paying higher prices. Monthly retail sales in Liverpool in January were £58.2m.

“That money converts into jobs, into investment, into footfall, into access to goods and services. We risk cities like Liverpool combating higher vacancy rates, struggling businesses and the public realm being hit by a far higher tax burden than other industries.

“If we bemoan businesses leaving the high streets then we should focus on the cause of that, and it is the disproportionately higher cost of doing business on the high street in the UK.”

Dee Corsi, Chair of High Streets UK, and Chief Executive of Founding Member of New West End Company, said:

“We welcome the long overdue review of the current business rates system. However, current proposals place too great a burden on the UK’s flagship high streets, undercutting the Government’s national growth ambitions.

“Our survey of businesses up and down the country clearly shows that the plans would be a disaster for jobs, investment, growth and ultimately, lead to higher prices for consumers. We urge the Government to take on board our concerns and reconsider their proposed reforms to protect flagship high streets, attract inward investment, support growth, and create a fairer system for all.”

Earlier this month, High Streets UK met in Liverpool for its first quarterly policy forum on business rates. Key policy recommendations include conducting a full impact assessment of proposed multiplier increases; freezing any hike in the higher multiplier until 2027/28 to provide greater certainty; and ring-fencing rates for investment in the local flagship high street area, so those who pay the highest rates see a positive impact on services on their doorstep.