The announcement that shops in the UK’s high streets could see their taxes cut after next year is welcome news (Report, 16 March). Business rates for secondary retail sites are massively too high; the world has changed and such premises do not have the value they once did. Rates come from rateable values which comes from a rentable value. Hopefully the government has recognised that retail space in most high streets will never be as valuable as it once was, except within major shopping centres. Excessive charges for these rates is bad for jobs, especially in areas of high unemployment, and bad for the social fabric of our towns and cities. We need a significant reduction in business rates for all town centres if they are to revive. Otherwise there needs to be a concerted effort to change the use of some retail areas, perhaps to residential, otherwise our town centres will be condemned to having more charity shops and empty buildings.
Peter Burgess
London
• Analysts do not appreciate charity shops or the role they play in town centres (High streets running out of time to stem tide of charity shops and bookies, 16 March). The survey by accountancy firm PwC appears to be equally dismayed at the growth of bookmakers and charity shops. The growth in charity shops obviously reflects the current era of austerity as more people seek affordable clothes, toys, books, and household goods.
However, they also provide an outlet for recycling goods that would otherwise be disposed of in landfill, incinerators or shipped abroad. They raise the profile of charities, which have lost income from other sources but are having to provide ever greater levels of service due to cutbacks in government funding and increasing needs arising from international disasters.
Finally, they provide training and experience for people trying to enter or re-enter the jobs market. All charity shops rely on volunteers and these include individuals who are committed to the charity’s cause but also those who are unemployed and have been sent by their local jobcentre to gain personal and organisational skills, such as customer service, numeracy and literacy, in a supportive community.
Ros Ward
Durham
