NEWS
Vape shops in Mansfield
taxed as ‘head shops’
A Mansfield vape shop owner has been left reeling after the council told him that his
small shop would not be eligible for reduced business rates, because it’s a ‘head shop.’
Peter Savage owns and runs Premier E-Cigs, with several shops
in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, but he’s now concerned
about possible expansion in his home town of Mansfield, due to
discriminatory business rates which he says are the result of
“ignorance” from the local council.
His nine shops in the Mansfield area were refused a business rate
relief by Mansfield District Council, who consider e-cigarette shops
‘head shops.’ These have been defined by the UK government as
shops that sell psychoactive substances and/or drug paraphernalia
– neither of which are typically sold in dedicated e-cigarette shops.
Peter told Vapouround: “The e-cigarette business in the UK has
been going at least 11 years and we’re still battling in this country to
get proper recognition; it really is something that should have been
sorted out.
“Although the government is on side, there’s still a lot of local
councils and people in authority that don’t agree with e-cigarettes,
they just don’t have any knowledge about the industry at all and it
boils down to ignorance.”
Under a government scheme that allows councils to award small
businesses with reduced business rates, any business that
occupies a property with a value not exceeding £50,999 is eligible
for a discretionary ‘rate relief,’ an initiative that was put in place to
support local economy.
But, far from supporting local business, Mansfield District Council’s
decision to refuse a rate relief has left Peter concerned about the
huge financial disadvantage his shops will face.
He says: “We’re less competitive now because we’re paying more
than an off-licence or a newsagent, or even a small supermarket –
they’re getting the rate relief.
“They can sell cigarettes, alcohol and e-cigarettes and they get this
new tariff, which then puts us at a disadvantage.”
Determined to fight their decision, Peter has sent emails to former
Mayor Kate Allsop, Public Health England and his local MP, Ben
Bradley, who has been working with Peter to get this decision
overturned.
“I do believe we’ll win this one,” Peter says, “but it’s probably not just
Mansfield, there’s likely more in the country. Somewhere along the
line we’ve got to try and get the whole country to start allowing and
encouraging vape shops.”
Vapouround reached out to Mansfield District Council for their
comment on this issue and their strategic director, Mike Robinson
said: “The discount business rates relief is discretionary, and it is for
the authority to determine the criteria for the types of businesses
which will be supported.
“The council made a formal decision not to include vape and
e-cigarette outlets. This policy was developed in accordance with
government guidance issued in November 2018, which sets out the
type of uses not considered to be appropriate for the purpose of
this relief.”
30 | VM23
“
There’s still a lot of local councils
and people in authority that don’t
agree with e-cigarettes, they just
don’t have any knowledge about
the industry at all and it boils
down to ignorance.
“
BY PHOEBE FULLER