National Non-Domestic Rates (Business Rates) Discretionary Rate Relief Policy

(Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1998 as amended by Section 69 of the Localism Act 2011)

Overview

The purpose of the Business Rate Relief Scheme for Pubs is to support public houses with a rateable value of less than £100,000.

For the purpose of this relief the definition of a public house excludes:

• Restaurants
• Cafes
• Nightclubs
• Hotels
• Snack bars
• Guesthouses
• Boarding houses
• Sporting venues
• Music venues
• Festival sites
• Theatres
• Museums
• Exhibition halls
• Cinemas
• Concert halls
• Casinos

Eligibility

Eligibility to relief under this section will only be considered after determination of any other forms of rate relief to which the applicant may be eligible.

Relief may be granted where the property:

• has a rateable value of less than £100,000
• is open to the general public and trading
• allows free entry, other than when occasional entertainment is provided
• allows drinking without requiring food to be consumed
• permits drinks to be purchased at a bar
• the award of relief complies with EU law on State Aid (less than €200k awarded over 3 years)

Applications

This relief will automatically be awarded to eligible ratepayers. However, the council will issue a state aid declaration and this must be signed by the ratepayer and returned to Chorley Council within 14 days of receipt to avoid cancellation of the relief.

Duration

Relief may be awarded from 1 April 2017 until 31 March 2019.