The owner of an Alton shop which closed last Saturday is appealing to the government to reform business rates for the sake of the nation’s high streets.

Matt Bishop and his son Fred run Journeys End Interiors, which makes makes bespoke hardwood furniture and kitchens in Ampfield and has a shop in Romsey.

Its second store in Alton High Street shut after exactly a year of trading and Matt said a hike in business rates had been a “big factor” in his decision to leave the town.

He said: “The property was revalued by the Valuation Office Agency and somehow they put the rateable value up from £18,500 to £24,500 on a struggling high street.”

Rateable value is a government estimate of the annual rent a commercial or non-domestic property would fetch if rented on the open market on a set date.

Matt added: “An increase of £6,000 in a struggling town high street is a large amount when the government should be encouraging local councils to support the new business in the high street.”

Journeys End Interiors promised the Alton public “a carefully curated selection of homeware and furnishings” for the lounge, kitchen, bedroom, study and garden.

But Matt said getting sufficient people through the door to view and buy its range had been another problem.

He said: “After one year of trading we have many great customers but just not enough of them.

“We felt with the Antico Lounge and ourselves opening last year it would encourage new businesses and more customers to be a part of Alton.

“But we have not seen any real growth in footfall and I think there are more empty shops now than when we opened.”

Matt asked the government to change the business rates system: “The business rates, for many businesses, will be one cost to stop them opening when starting a new venture.

“It’s important for the government and local councils to recognise those towns like Alton that need a different approach, so they encourage businesses to look at becoming a part of those towns.

“I think it is a national issue that I hear the government talk about but to date have done very little to address.

“It is with sadness we are pulling out of Alton, as we could see the town has enormous potential, and we hope that others have more success in the future.

“But they will need a little help and business rates is an obvious one to encourage this to happen.”

Alton Town Council town clerk Tom Horwood said: “Business rates are set nationally. The billing is managed by East Hampshire District Council, but it cannot change the rate. It can make discounts, which it then has to pay for from its other income, such as council tax.”

Emily Phipps, one of three members of staff at the Alton store, said: “We’re a new business and the business rates are non-negotiable. It’s just ridiculous - it’ll be empty like it was for 15 years.”