Executive needs to do more to support local businesses - Retail NI

Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said: “Retail NI members and their staff are working exceptionally hard, providing a vital public service, ensuring that the most vulnerable people within our community can purchase food and other essential items. Independent retailers such as convenience stores, grocers, butchers and pharmacies are in the front line of this crisis and deserve every support from Government and the community as a whole.

“We need parity of business rates relief with the rest of the UK. The independent retailers that we represent are dealing with the same Covid-19 crisis as their counterparts in the rest of the UK and therefore need the same assistance from Government.

“In the rest of the UK, businesses are receiving a 100% rates holiday for 12 months; in Northern Ireland we got three. Three months’ relief is not nearly enough to support businesses during or indeed after this crisis,” said Mr Roberts.

“Why should businesses in Northern Ireland be treated differently?

“Healthcare is absolutely the top priority but local independent retailers need further help from Government to stay open and to continue to provide food and other key products to the community.

“Given that the 2020 Rates Revaluation unfairly penalised independent retailers with excessive increases of up to 50%, Retail NI has requested that the Executive postpones or even cancels it to support our members through this truly challenging time.”