A popular Aberdeen shop could be forced to close its doors unless a £9,000 rates increase is reversed says its owner.
Gina Adie, the owner of West End zero waste store Refillosophy, is still waiting to find out if she’s been successful in her appeal against rising business rates.
She was “furious” when she was informed in November that she would be liable for £9,337 a year in rates from April this year.
Previously her store on Albyn Grove, which employs five part-time workers, came under the £15,000 small business rate relief threshold so faced no rates payment obligations.
She immediately launched an appeal but has faced months of uncertainty as she awaits the outcome.
Refillosophy rates appeal
Ms Adie said: “We are no further forward. To go from nothing to £9,000 was a shock.
“It will wipe out any profit and could mean job losses or potential closure.
“We have put in an appeal because what they came out with was complete nonsense. They had categorised the entire building as being front of house, nothing allowed for stock rooms or staff areas.
“We are hopeful we have a good strong case for the appeal.
“For small businesses it’s tough and this is not what we need.
“We will try and keep going.”
Ms Adie opened Refillosophy, based in Albyn Grove, just over two years ago and provides plastics-free shopping, local produce, recycled products and the re-use of containers where possible.
Customers can pick their coffee beans, loose tea, bakery products and fresh fruit and vegetables and other produce from the shelves.
Rising costs worry
Along with the on-going worry over business rates she has been faced with continual costs increases for produce.
Ms Adie said: “The baked goods we buy in from local bakeries have gone right up because obviously their costs have increased.
“They have got to factor in all the manufacturing costs with electricity as well which has led to price increases.
“It’s meant we’ve had to put up our prices. We’ve tried to absorb some of it for the customers but we can’t do it all.
“Red peppers have shot up in price by about 50% and they don’t seem to be coming back down at the moment.
“Organic red peppers I am paying £4.90 a kilo for whereas before it would’ve been half of that.
“A few of our suppliers have disappeared. They have just given up.
“Nuts have went really up in price. Brazil nuts went up probably by 20%. Milk and eggs have also risen.
“It’s not easy at all for small businesses.”
Following a recent overhaul of the Scottish system of assessing non-domestic rates, the process of lodging an appeal requires the ratepayer to present a fully stated case – including all supporting rental evidence – at the point of submitting any appeal.
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