TRADERS say huge new rate rises costing thousands of pounds will shut businesses and leave their high street like a ‘ghost town’. 

Shopkeepers protested in Monmouth town centre last Wednesday (February 15) against ‘catastrophic’ new business rate assessments by the Valuation Agency Office.

And a petition backed by Monmouth Welsh Assembly Member Nick Ramsay and MP?David Davies has already collected more than 2,600 signatures with another 1,532 names added at a separate protest on Saturday in the high street.

Stephen Porter, owner of Stephens Bookshop, said: “Monmouth will be a ghost town if this  goes through. I think it’s criminal, it’s going to have a massive effect, closing traders down. 

“It will destroy the high street, which is already struggling against out-of-town shopping, supermarkets and online competition.

“A lot of businesses are going to be hit very hard, some suffering huge rises totalling thousands.”

And while businesses over the border in England will see the rise cushioned by the doubling of the rate relief threshold, to £12,000, the Welsh Government has yet to lift the limit. 

Mr Porter, who founded the Monmouth Small Medium Enterprises group three months ago to fight the rises, said independent traders that will be hit include Callisto Style hairdressers, whose rate bill liability will jump 1,440 per cent from £567 to £8,732, Monmouth Appliance, from rate free to £5,262, and Wigmores Bakery, from £502 to £6,237.

“The VOA showed me a map saying Monmouthshire’s average rise will be 7 per cent, but I went onto their rateable value comparison site and drew up my own map of Monmouth, and it’s a totally different story,” he added. “I was incensed.

“They are trying to draw a veil over a horror story. We’re being absolutely hammered.

“I’ve written to them umpteen times, and to the Welsh Government, but they just keep passing the buck.”

Monmouthshire County Council were also in town last week demanding traders pay for A-boards and chairs outside their shops and cafes, he said.

Pete Williams, of Pasty Heaven, said: “I’m facing a 186 per cent rates rise which will cost me another £5,000 a year. I won’t pay it, and on top of that they came here last week to demand £50 for my A-board outside. I won’t pay that either. It’s going to shut the high street.”

PAWS pet shop co-owner Philip Gray added: “Two businesses have closed since Christmas and I know of another three thinking about it, while Budgens supermarket is pulling out, citing the rates as a major issue.

“My rates are £12,000- £13,000 and I’m expecting them to almost double. It’ll be a ghost town.”

Tidings gift shop owner Sally Barnes added: “Waitrose have only gone up 4 per cent, but mine have shot up 45 per cent, from £16,000 to £24,500, which takes me over what I earnt last year. 

“I make nothing already, and this will cripple me. I employ three people and this threatens their jobs.”

David Tovey, who runs specialist tea shop MonTeas, said: “My rateable value’s gone up 62.5 per cent, taking me out of the rate relief bracket, and I’ll have to pay £2,500. It will kill my business and the town. “

Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay labelled the projected rises ‘mind boggling’. 

“Some businesses don’t even know about it yet. It’s catastrophic,” he said. “There’s been overvaluing by the VOA, and while the business relief band has been doubled in Engalnd, the Welsh Government has done nothing, making the situation far worse.

“Across Wales, lots of businesses are seeing rate reductions, but Monmouth is getting huge hikes, This can’t be fair. It will result in a lot of shops going under.

“I’m going to present the traders’ petition to the Welsh Assembly because this simply has to be reviewed.”