Town Centre Management responds to criticism of Feel Good Cafe business rates exemption

Feel Good Cafe

Debbie Hernon, Rochdale Town Centre Management Chief Executive, has responded to criticism of the Feel Good Cafe expansion.

Last week Rochdale Online revealed that the cafe is to expand on to the ground floor and Rochdale Council has used its discretionary powers to exempt the business from paying rates.

The news was greeted with anger from other town centre traders, who have to pay rates, suggesting it amounted to unfair competition Ms Hernon says her hands were tied in that the landlord needed to find a tenant given the previous tenants, 25 Ten Boutique, had been gone three months and that meant he would be responsible for paying business rates on the empty ground floor.

It is understood the only tenants the landlord could find was a charity shop and Ms Hernon says that would have been a disaster for the first floor Feel Good Cafe and so it was felt they had no choice but to protect the "investment" spent in converting the building and setting up the cafe and the Emporium - understood to have been a six figure sum funded by Rochdale Council.

Ms Hernon said: "The landlord came to us at the end of July and said that the only tenants he was able to secure was another charity shop. He then gave us an offer that either we took the lease or the charity shop would have to take it as he would now be liable for business rates and he couldn’t/wouldn’t pay them on an empty property.

"Obviously we have to protect the investment that has already been made and the choice is the Emporium taking it and giving a quality offer to the town or another charity shop in the town - neither would pay rates.

"The Rochdale Emporium is a not-for-profit organisation so nobody takes any finances from the operation, the only paid employees are the cafe staff."

Ms Hernon has also said that it is her intention to expand the Emporium to the ground floor, as well as the cafe, giving small businesses the opportunity of low cost start up units with all the advantages of a shop front in a prime high street location.

If you are a business looking for such premises please contact Rochdale Town Centre Management.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/83434/feel-good-cafe-expansion-greeted-with-anger