Consultation to be launched over business rate relief for empty shops

Businesses throughout Windsor and Maidenhead are to be asked their views on offering business rate relief for shops currently standing empty.

Opinions will be sought on how long a period of rate relief should be allowed for, which areas of the borough have the biggest problem with empty shops, and whether to target specific types of businesses.

Of the 1,231 shops in the borough, 54 (4.4 per cent) are empty at present – 23 (5.8 per cent) in Maidenhead, 17 (4.1 per cent) in Windsor and nine (12.9 per cent) in Eton.

Other areas of the borough, including Ascot, have very few or no empty shops at present.

The decision to introduce business rate relief on empty shops follows the introduction of the Local Government Finance Bill in October 2012, which now offers local authorities the option to use some of the business rates to stimulate the local economy.