Punch appeals rates at 300 pubs

Punch has lodged appeals of new business rates levels at around 300 leased and tenanted pubs in under three weeks.

As the Morn-ing Advertiser revealed last year, the average pub has seen its rate-able value rise 23% under the 2010 valuations lists. Appeals against the new levels have been possible from 30 April.

Punch portfolio manager Paul Crooks said the company is urging licensees to get in touch with one of its three nominated surveyors who will lodge an appeal on their behalf, if appropriate.

"We're probably at around 300 [appeals] at the moment," said Crooks. "It's a rapidly changing total because we have appeals ready to go, but they are subject to checking all the information."

Punch has decided not to submit blanket appeals — for fear that some rateable values could rise.

Enterprise Inns, which is also offering free rating appeals for tenants, has adopted the same policy. So has Fleurets head of rating Michael Yass, who handles appeals for a number of pub operators, including Punch, as well as independents.

Crooks said: "We are looking to get considered appeals in. This means our partners need to be passing information to the rating surveyors."

Crooks said sites in Scotland and Wales were being targeted for appeals first because transitional relief is not available in either country. Scotland even has a six-month limit for submitting rating appeals.

Crooks said no appeals have been heard yet, but his "gut feeling" was that they won't be discussed with local valuation offices until autumn. It's likely that a backlog still exists from appeals under the 2005 ratings list, he added.

Crooks repeated the warning for hosts to be aware of "rogue traders" who demand up to £500 up front for lodging appeals.