Retailers have launched an appeal against a ruling on through-the-wall ATMs being separately charged for business rates.
The ruling, issued in April, states that cash machines built into the front of a shop or petrol forecourt should be subject to a separate rates bill. This is especially problematic for free to use cash machines, as they are likely to be used more heavily than charged machines and their rates bills are calculated on the basis of the turnover of the machine.
According to CVS, retailers overall have to pay GBP39.3 million a year on cash machines, which works out at nearly GBP2,800 on average for each ATM.
Cash machines are an important service in the convenience sector, with more than half of stores in the convenience sector offering a cash machine for customers, with 39% of machines being free to use. 76% of customers in convenience stores pay by cash.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Cash machines, especially free to use ATMs, provide an important service to customers and support the wider community where often their local shop is the only source of free cash. The ruling that hole in the wall cash machines should be rated separately is demonstrative of the mess that the business rates system is in, and we encourage Government to look again at this and other measures to make business rates fairer for local shops.”
