A recent rates revaluation exercise, undertaken by the Department of Finance through Land and Property Services, looks set to send many Fermanagh businesses’ rate bills soaring due to huge increases in property valuation.

The hospitality industry and independent retailers seem to be particularly hard hit with several Enniskillen hotels and shops feeling the pinch.

The hike in valuations for many local businesses comes to tens of thousands of pounds, and this at the same time as many supermarkets and multi nationals in Enniskillen received a reduction in their rates valuation with one large supermarket seeing over £100,000 shaved off the rateable value of their property.

Una Lilley, who owns two filling stations in Enniskillen, is set to see significant hikes on both premisses with the Dublin Road shop rising by 42 per cent and the Loughshore property rising by almost 25 per cent. In all it means that the rateable value on both properties will rise by almost £27,000.

“I do not know how they come up with these decisions.

“The problem is they need to raise the same amount of money as last year but there are fewer businesses. So they decide which businesses will pay more, I would love to know how they come to that decision. Nobody seems to want to listen to us,” Ms. Lilley revealed.

“Anybody who is doing OK in business worked really hard during the recession to be even standing now and we are being hit with these rises.

“And all the while multi nationals are getting cuts in theirs,” she said, adding. “Who in their right mind would want to start a business when decisions like this are made. I am just exasperated by it all.”

Another Enniskillen business that is set to see a big jump this year is the Westville Hotel, who has seen their valuation rise from £80,000 to £110,000 which represented a 37.5 per cent increase. The increases are shown in the Department of Finance website

Owner of the Westville, Nicky Cassidy, expressed his disappointment and disbelief surrounding the process: “It leaves margins very tight. We are appealing it because we just think it is very unfair. I don’t see how they could make that judgement at all.

“It means we are paying significantly more this year and that is going to impact on business,” Mr. Cassidy said, before adding.

“The rates are already high as it is, so this increase is unbelievable really, and I don’t understand why they seem to be targeting the hospitality industry. We provide jobs and we contribute back into the economy and it is just making it very hard to try and run a business. It is crippling really.”

The final rates bill for businesses will not be finalised until April of this year.

It is calculated using two distinct rates; the regional rate, which is set by the Department of Finance in Stormont, and the local rate, which is set by the local council. Fermanagh and Omagh District Council meet early next month to set their local rate for the year and Fermanagh businesses will be waiting anxiously to see what local politicians decide.

Pressure is also mounting on the Finance Minister, Conor Muprhy, regarding his decision on rates.

Fellow Ministers, including Minister of Infrastructure Nichola Mallon, have said that possible rises should be considered with Ms. Mallon stating that discussions “will have to be had” over possible rates rises instead.

Glynn Roberts who is Chief Executive of Retail NI said that it was his priority to ensure that business rates in Northern Ireland are in line with those in the UK: “The fact that Northern Ireland businesses have the highest rates in the whole UK is something that needs to be addressed. We will be doing that with the Finance Minister, Conor Murphy, and we want to see parity for Northern Ireland businesses,” he told the Impartial Reporter this week.

With respect to the recent rates revaluation Mr. Roberts pointed that it needs to be kept in mind the positive impact the industry had on the economy: “It is particularly unfair to have the hospitality industry and independent traders targeted in the way that they are. People need to realise that they are the mainstays of the Northern Ireland business community.”

He concluded by pointing out the disparity that existed between businesses and some multi national corporation’s with respect to rate revaluation exercise: “It seems particularly unfair when you look at the fact that the variety of multi nationals such as supermarkets got a significant reduction in their rates.

“How can that be fair? The answer is that it is not.”

According to the Department of Finance website Tesco in Enniskillen will see a fall in their valuation by £71,500 from £850,000 to £778,500 while ASDA Enniskillen’s valuation has fallen by £132,000 from £1,287,000 to £1,155,000.