The difficulties for owners in running a successful independent High St business in the present retail climate, with very heavy external web based competition is well understood by the community at large. However many people will be unaware of the additional increases in rates that are currently hitting Pinner businesses particularly hard at the moment. It does not appear that the Council really wants them to exist, in spite of the huge rise in office conversions to flats and apartments & other housing developments, given planning permission, which means more people in Pinner who actually need local retailers. Please contact your local councillors and M.P Nick Hurd to give your views on excessive rate rises. The Government guide to Business rates can be found here.....