A 'fairer and more equable system' for business rates is needed to protect struggling businesses in Exmouth from being forced to close, is the message from the chairman of Exmouth Chamber of Commerce.

The comments from chamber chairman Ian MacQueen came after the Government announced yesterday that it has postponed a revaluation of business rates until to 2022 to 'reduce uncertainty' for businesses.

Mr MacQueen hopes that the revaluation in 2022 addresses fundamental issues and 'anomalies' in the current system.

"All the current financial assistance measures that the Government has put through to help the retail sector including suspension of Business Rates for 12 months, are both welcome and necessary," Mr MacQueen told Nub News.

"Retail as an industry, with few exceptions, has been hit very hard by Covid 19 and in all likelihood a significant number of businesses may well not reopen and/or go out of business during 2020. It follows that any upward revaluation of rates whenever that may be, will add even greater strain to this struggling industry.

"It has long been known that the Business Rating system has a number of anomalies within its structure and therefore it is to be hoped that when a revaluation takes place a fairer and more equable system will arise"

A revaluation of business rates will no longer take place in 2021 to help reduce uncertainty for firms affected by the impacts of coronavirus, Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP announced yesterday.

Legislation had been introduced to bring the next revaluation forward by one year from 2022 to 2021, but following the recent economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic ministers want to ensure businesses have more certainty during this difficult time.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: "We have listened to businesses and their concerns about the timing of the 2021 business rates revaluation and have acted to end that uncertainty by postponing the change.

"Now is the time for us to continue to focus on supporting businesses affected by the pandemic, including through our unprecedented package of almost £10 billion in business rates relief.

"The government is continuing work on the fundamental review of business rates, with the key aims of reducing the overall burden on businesses, improving the current business rates system, and considering more fundamental changes in the medium-to-long term. The call for evidence for the review will be published in the coming months."