Businesses in Somerset’s coastal regions are facing a dire threat to their survival, unless the government steps up to reduce business rates and enhance public transport links, warns Rachel Gilmour, the Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton and Minehead. Speaking in a recent Westminster Hall debate, Mrs. Gilmour highlighted the precarious position many small businesses in her constituency currently face due to soaring costs and declining visitor numbers.
Mrs. Gilmour stressed that rising business rates combined with reduced foot traffic have pushed many local businesses to the brink of closure. She called for significant improvements in rural transport services, underlining their crucial role in sustaining the local economy. “In west Somerset, the visitor economy supports about two-thirds of all employment, generating economic activity worth over £700 million annually,” she explained.
Highlighting specific examples, Mrs. Gilmour spoke of Cathy Britton, owner of Eduardo’s pizzeria and café in Porlock, who reported a 50% drop in turnover compared to last year. Tourist numbers have dwindled, with international visitors puzzled by the quiet high streets and shuttered shops. The struggles extend beyond the coast; Paul Hardy, an antique dealer in Dulverton, some ten miles inland, has seen business fall by 70%, heavily reliant on tourists passing through from the coastal trail.
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The closure of the B3191 road between Blue Anchor and Watchet since January 2023 has further compounded challenges, cutting critical vehicle access for more than 6,000 residents and over 100 businesses in these coastal towns. Mrs. Gilmour has backed Somerset Council’s £40 million bid to reopen the road, urgently urging the government to allocate funds from the Department for Transport’s £1 billion structures fund to fix this vital route.
Transport woes continue with ongoing delays on the A39, a key artery to Minehead and Exmoor, affecting both local residents and visitors. These problems highlight the region’s geographic isolation: “West Somerset is in many respects a cul-de-sac—hard to reach and challenging to navigate once you arrive. This hampers visitors and the businesses that depend on their spending,” Mrs. Gilmour stated.
Kate Dearden, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Business and Trade, affirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining prosperous seaside communities but emphasized permanent reforms to business rates over temporary relief. “We have introduced permanently lower business rates multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality, and leisure properties,” she said, defending the government’s approach as a source of greater stability. Plans to reassess property valuations for pubs and hotels are underway to better reflect the current rental market.
Somerset businesses like the Cider Barn in Draycott and Petruth Paddocks campsite in Cheddar have also warned that without policy changes, they could face closure. Dearden acknowledged the vital role hospitality and leisure play in coastal economies, providing employment and underpinning local services.
Mrs. Gilmour concluded with a call for coordinated government support in business rates, transport infrastructure, and tourism investment to preserve and revitalize Somerset’s coastal economy. The future of many local businesses—and the communities they support—hinges on swift, targeted action.