How short sighted the officials of the Income Revenue Valuation office are (Evening Press, January 12).

Not only has Mr Akhtar taken an empty eyesore off the A64 and turned it into the superb Jinnah restaurant whose reputation must add to the attractions of North Yorkshire, but he has also provided work for 13 employees.

Now after taking the substantial risk of spending his capital on improving the building he is faced with such a swingeing rise in his business rates that he has had to lay off three of his staff.

Surely those who set this new rate must realise that those who are unemployed will now seek state benefits to help them pay their way until such times as they are re-employed? Furthermore, that these benefits could exceed the £9,000 they have added to the Jinnah's rates.

Just whose interests are they serving? Certainly not the taxpayer.

By penalising Mr Akhtar for his success they are not encouraging new business enterprise.

They are applying strictures which can only serve to strangle initiative and self-dependence.

I hope common sense will prevail when the appeal against this unfair rate is heard and that a just and fair increase is applied.

Kenneth Scaife,

Ferguson Way,

York.

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