The government needs to do more to tackle “absentee” landlords in a bid to fill empty shops, say council leaders.
The issue was raised during a Lincolnshire County Council discussion on revitalising the High Streets of market towns.
Councillor Martin Griggs said many of the empty shops in Boston were owned by “large property funds who have no interest in getting on board and fixing shop fronts.”
He called for more to be done to discourage this type of behaviour.
LCC’s economy executive Colin Davie said he felt empty shops should have to pay business rates themselves after a set period of time.
Following the meeting he said: “Absentee landlords are a big problem for Lincolnshire. People from different parts of the country who don’t care about the place. It’s a purely financial investment, they don’t have a compulsion to fill those shops.”
He said in districts such as East Lindsey District Council, owners of residential properties had to pay tax after their properties were empty for three months.
However, councils cannot currently implement similar controls over business rates.
Councillors were told that an expert witness from Banks, Long and Co, the agents for the properties on Lincoln Cornhill which is undergoing major redevelopment had said they had been successful due to their relationship with the local council and community.
The committee made a series of recommendations to be explored by the authority, including encouraging market towns not to compete with each other in a bid to create individual identities.
However, following a question by councillor Alison Austin on the effect of car boots on markets, it was revealed the report had not looked at markets themselves, but the physical buildings in the area.
Mention was made again of high streets being for leisure and activity rather than purely for shopping in the future.
Pedestrianisation and free wi-fi were also questioned, but councillors were dubious about their value to high streets.
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We are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a fail to stop in Welton, Lincoln.
It’s believed a black or grey 4×4 or SUV vehicle collided with a silver Mini Cooper that was parked along Cliff Road. The incident was reported just after 3pm today.
If you witnessed the collision or have dashcam footage available, please get in touch.
By calling 101 quoting incident 275 of 1st July.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 275 of 1st July in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.
A snack bar in Lincoln has been told to make improvements in several areas after being given a one-star food hygiene rating.
Monks Road Snack Bar, located on 23 Monks Road, was visited by city council inspectors on May 25, 2022 and the rating was recently published on the Food Standards Agency’s website.
The standards found at the time of inspection showed that improvement was necessary in the areas of ‘hygienic food handling’ and the ‘Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building’.
It was also deemed that there was “major improvement necessary” relating to the ‘Management of food safety’.
Monks Road Snack Bar was previously given five-star ratings in June 2016 and September 2018.
The Lincolnite tried to contact the business on numerous occasions throughout the day on Friday, July 1 but the line was continuously engaged.
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