PRESTATYN’S High Street will appear “closed” and “empty” for one day next week as the town’s entrepreneurs protest against business rates in Wales.

The protest, organised by the Prestatyn Business Forum, will take place on Wednesday, October 16.

Anton Sampson, chair of the forum and a former mayor of Prestatyn, said many business owners will close their premises during the day, and paper over the windows.

He has called for Welsh Government to address the “disparity between Wales and England regarding business rates”.

As well as grievances regarding business rates, Mr Sampson said he feels the 20mph speed limit implemented on many Welsh residential roads in September 2023 is also contributing to a downturn in footfall.

He said: “Wales had a 75 per cent rate relief, but it has been taken away and reduced to 40 per cent.

“The UK Government gave Welsh Government the money to pass this on, but Welsh Government decided not to pass the saving on. Unfortunately, the money from the UK Government wasn't ring-fenced (guaranteed that the funds would not be spent on anything else).

“This has come at a time where businesses have been really struggling to make ends meet and pay their increasing costs.

“Speaking to many business owners, they have said that footfall numbers are down and have put this down largely to the 20mph speed restrictions.

“Whilst we're not against 20mph in places where it's sensible, we feel that the negative message that's been transmitted has actually resulted in visitors avoiding coming here for fear of fines and points on their licences.

“The knock-on effect is huge for everyone if our shops close.”

Mr Sampson also urged Becky Gittins, the Labour MP for the Clwyd East constituency in which Prestatyn is situated, to “insist to the UK Government that payments to Welsh Government regarding rate relief should be ring-fenced”.

Mrs Gittins said she will “continue to listen to the concerns of business owners across my constituency”.

She added: “I am working with local leaders and Welsh Government to ensure that local businesses in Prestatyn are supported to thrive both now and in the future.”

Gareth Davies, Conservative MS for Vale of Clwyd, said he shares the concerns highlighted by the forum’s members, and is fully in support of their protest.

He said: “I have written to ministers on the issue and spoken in the Senedd on numerous occasions urging Welsh Government to reverse the cuts, warning that they will have a devastating impact on our high street, which is still trying to bounce back following the pandemic.

“I met with the Prestatyn Business Forum to discuss how the cut to business rate relief has affected their businesses and it clear that the damage has been severe.

“It follows a series a blows to small enterprise in Wales with funding increasingly diverted away from our high street and towards vanity schemes such as default 20mph, UBI pilot schemes, and more politicians in Cardiff Bay.

“I think that this demonstration will provide a poignant visual spectacle that will show the Welsh Government the calamitous effect that their budgetary decisions are having on businesses across Wales.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We provide a range of permanent non-domestic rates reliefs for businesses, worth £250m a year.

“This includes small business rates relief, which supports ratepayers for around 70,000 properties across Wales, of which more than two-thirds pay nothing at all.

“We are also providing additional non-domestic rates support worth £134m in 2024-25.

“This includes a fifth successive year of support for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses with their rates bills, at a cost of £78m, building on the almost £1bn of support provided in rates relief to these sectors since 2020-21.

“Only one in five properties are liable for their full bill this year.”