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<p>Budget 2018 announced a two-year business rates discount of one third for small
retailers. As set out in the published guidance, the government considers retail to
mean properties being used as shops, cafes, restaurants, and drinking establishments.
It will be for local authorities to implement the discount and decide whether properties
are similar in nature to those listed as eligible in the guidance. Music venues will
only be eligible where they are similar in nature to those properties listed as eligible.</p><p>
</p><p>This discount is part of Our Plan for the High Street, a £1.5bn support package.
All ratepayers are benefitting from recent wide-ranging reductions to business rates;
in total, cuts announced since Budget 2016 are worth more than £13bn to businesses
over the next five years.</p>
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