Hotels face massive rise in rates
BUSINESS rates for many Deeside hotels are set to rise by tens of thousands of pounds on April 1 this year.
Ardoe House at Blairs will see its business rates bill rocket from 515,000 to 700,000 in the coming financial year, while Maryculter House Hotel will see an increase from 100,000 to 140,000.
In Aboyne, The Huntly Arms' bill will increase from 28,000 to 40,000, while the Craigendarroch in Ballater increases from 185,000 to 215,000.
West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine MSP Mike Rumbles says he wants to see a transitional period so local hotels on don't suffer the full force of the rises.
He said:"I know that the First Minister doesn't set the value of every hotel but his Government has chosen to hit hotels with the full increase in just one year. Previous administrations have brought major changes like this in slowly, over a period of time. The UK Government is doing the same.
"At a time of deep recession, the SNP are hitting the tourism industry in Deeside and throughout Scotland hard.
"On April 1, Scottish hotels will be stunned by painful rises in their business rates.
"Mr. Salmond can't take Scotland's hotel industry for April Fools.
"There is to be a debate in the Scottish Parliament next week on Scottish tourism. I aim to raise this issue then and demand that Scottish Ministers take action as Ministers south of the border have done to reduce this disgraceful attack on our tourist industry."
The debate on Scottish tourism will take place on March 17.
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Monday 21 May 2012
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