FOLLOWING news that one of Chepstow’s oldest and best-known shops was preparing to close, other business owners from the town have voiced concerns that the county’s high business rates are contributing to the decline of the traditional high street.

Herbert Lewis’ closure has not been attributed to, or blamed on, the cost of business rates, but others in Chepstow say the uneven charges are putting the squeeze on many smaller, independent shops.

The Welsh Government calculates the amount a business will be taxed by estimating its value and multiplying it by an amount it sets each year.

Dawn Floyd owns St Mary’s Collectables on Chepstow’s St Mary’s Street. She says her shop’s monthly business rates have increased from £300 to £600 since the Welsh Government re-evaluated its rates last year.

“I’ve been fighting the business rates for 18 months”, she said.

“Small businesses can’t sustain business rates like this.

“Some shops have to pay high rates, and some don’t. The system is unfair.”

Ms Floyd fears that attracting new businesses to Chepstow will be difficult given the high rates some of the town’s businesses pay.

“The last thing we want is a load of empty shops, because that’s not good for tourism either.”

Chepstow’s town centre has been beset by store closures in recent months, and a growing number of charity shops has further “unbalanced” the make-up of the town, Ms Floyd believes, because those properties pay little or no business rates.

To tackle the problem, the town is investing in community projects like the traditional market that was recently approved for renewal after a successful three-month trial.

Monmouthshire County Council say they oppose high and uneven business rates, saying in a statement: “Revaluation of Business Rates took place in 2017, Monmouthshire saw one of the biggest increases in rateable values across Wales, with an overall increase of 7 per cent.

“Concerns have been shared with the Cabinet Secretary and a campaign was launched to highlight our concerns with local Chambers of Commerce which included Chepstow. The County Council also met directly with the Valuation Office Agency to express fears.”

Nick Ramsay AM said: “Unless the Welsh Government intervenes and reforms its unfair and oppressive business rates regime, our towns risk being blighted by even more vacant and boarded up shops.”