A FORMER furniture store and the operator of an ice rink are among 22 businesses owing more than £470,000 between them in unpaid business rates to Blackpool Council.
Town hall finance chiefs have published details of the latest batch of business rate debts they have had to write off due to bankruptcy or there being ‘no prospect’ of recovering the money.
The full total of £471,198 includes £23,694 owed by Richard Lefton Furnishings Ltd, whose showroom in General Street closed in 2019 after the family owned retailer had traded for 75 years in the resort.
Managing director Richard Lefton died, aged 54, in January 2020 after being admitted to Blackpool Victoria Hospital with sepsis.
Olsen and Redfern Ltd is recorded as owing the council £25,169 in connection with the operation of an ice rink.
Companies House lists Daniel Nicholson as a director of the company, who previously operated the Fylde Coast Ice Arena at the former TVR site on Bristol Avenue in Bispham until it shut in May 2017.
The biggest single chunk of unpaid business debts is £44,383 owed by Casual Wholesale Ltd for a shop and premises.
A total of £28,170 is owed by the New Oxford Hotel on Albert Road, believed to be from previous operators, while Casey’s Hotel and Bar on Dickson Road owes £14,324.
The latest debts have been written off between October 2020 and September this year, and the total compares to £557,418 of business rates unpaid for the period prior to April 2020.
Provision for bad debt is made by the council as part of its business rate collection regime and debts are only written off when there is no chance of recovering the money.
But a council report adds: “It is good practice for the council to write legitimate business rate debt off, however any debt written-off can be re-instated at a later date should there be an unforeseen opportunity to recover part or all of the debt.”
The full list of business rates written off for period 01/10/20 to 01/09/21 :-
Casual Wholesale Ltd £44,383.00 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises
Lyndon-Dykes Ltd £ 41,516.26 Bankruptcy/Insolvency Hotel and Premises
W.S.Slater & Co. Ltd £ 39,946.75 No Prospect of Recovery Warehouse and Premises
Retail Group UK Ltd £ 34,111.74 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises
NT Wholesale Newport Ltd £ 30,613.20 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises
The New Oxford Hotel Ltd £ 28,170.87 Bankruptcy/Insolvency Hotel and Premises
Olsen & Redfern Ltd £ 25,169.00 No Prospect of Recovery Ice Skating Rink
Richard Lefton Furnishings Ltd £ 23,694.02 Bankruptcy/Insolvency
Showroom and Premises
GYPS Hotels UK Ltd £ 22,046.01 No Prospect of Recovery Hotel and Premises
R S Apartments Ltd £ 20,482.72 No Prospect of Recovery
Self-Catering holiday units and premises
Aamir Retail Ltd £ 18,464.28 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises
Golden Beach Hotel Ltd £ 15,644.50 No Prospect of Recovery Hotel and Premises
West Coast Trade Ltd £ 15,352.45 No Prospect of Recovery Offices and Premises
Casey’s Hotel (Blackpool) Ltd £ 14,324.29 No Prospect of Recovery
Guest House, Bar and Premises
Ratepayer (personal name redacted) £ 14,208.52
Whereabouts Unknown – Gone Away Workshop and Premises
Concierge Services Direct Ltd £ 13,411.27 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises
Ratepayer (personal name redacted) £ 12,783.24 Bankruptcy/Insolvency Shop and Premises
Ratepayer (personal name redacted) £ 12,631.55 Bankruptcy/Insolvency
Hotel and Premises
Ratepayer (personal name redacted) £ 11,743.27 Bankruptcy/InsolvencyGuest House Restaurant and Premises
Facefood (Blackpool) Ltd £ 11,345.02 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises
Navkaar Ltd £ 11,116.96 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises
Poolout Ltd £ 10,039.47 No Prospect of Recovery Public House and
Premises
Total £471,198.39
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