PROPERTY owner Michael Tucker has hit out at crippling business rates which are causing traders financial distress.

Mr Tucker, 49, who has property ’all over’ Somerset, bought the former One Stop and Post Office building in High Street, Wellington, last year after it had been empty for a considerable length of time.

He said: "Central Government should wake up and adjust business rates accordingly before we see tumble-weed buildings throughout our town centres.

"Landlords should also be prepared to cut rents to help traders to make reasonable profits. Until this happens local traders will continue to find it difficult to run their businesses."

Mr Tucker, who lives in Taunton but has family connections with Wellington, is still looking to rent out the former One Stop and Post Office building. "Lots of people tell me they would like a post office again and I’d be up for that if the Post Office agrees," he said. "But I’m open to any ideas"

Meanwhile, Paul Shipp, proprietor of Mary Jenkins’ fruit and vegetable shop, says business rates are ’far too high’.

"Since the pandemic - and it’s still with us - the centre of Wellington has been like a ghost town at weekends but we still have to make a profit to pay business rates," he said. "And we also have to deal with people who steal from you."

Graham Jamieson has to pay business rates on two shops - Wellington Boots in Lancer Court and G J Jamieson in High Street. "The system of business rates is very unfair," he said. "I did not have to pay business rates in my former shop near the Asda supermarket.

"But I have to since I moved here. It’s all to do with how big your shop is. Some get business rates relief."

One such shop is Paws ’*’ Claws, the main pet shop in town. Paul Crofts said: "I don’t know what we would do if we had to pay business rates. Fortunately, we don’t have a mortgage. If we did and we also had to pay business rates, it would be difficult to make the shop pay.

"There are others who are about the same age as us. They don’t have mortgages. Quite what they would do if they did I don’t know."

* Paul Shipp, of Mary Jenkins, has also criticised the decision to hold a monthly street market in Wellington, which begins on Saturday, February 19.

"Some traders in the town are not happy with this," he said. "These people come into our town, have a cheap pitch and offer cheaper prices. Then they are gone again. The last time we had a street fair my turnover was down between 20 and 25 per cent."