Independent traders on Wey Hill have warned the future of the area is under threat, as rising business rates and costs push some shops to the brink.

A recent national report highlighted Wey Hill as one of the worst-affected areas following a revaluation of business rates, with rateable values rising by an average of 82 per cent, leading to bill increases of thousands of pounds.

At Pets Worth, owner Ian Stanford, 61, says the changes have fundamentally altered his business after 17 years on the high street.

“Small business in the way we know it is finished – the local shop is gone,” he said.

From April 1, the rateable value of his shop rose by £6,500, leaving him facing a £5,539 annual bill.

Although relief means he will pay around £800 this year, he says it is still an increase he cannot afford on top of rising costs like electricity, broadband, water and wages. For a small business with tight margins, even an extra £60 a month can make a big difference.

“I’m taking enough to pay the bills, but not more than that,” he said. “I’ve been told to put prices up, but I can’t – because I’m already more expensive than online, and customers have less money to spend. It’s not fair for them to carry the cost.”

He now plans to close the shop in summer 2027, adding: “It’s very sad – Wey Hill has really changed. We’ve lost the banks, the Post Office – it’s not what it was.”

A short walk away, Timothy and Julie Johnson’s retirement plan was to sell their long-running Hokey Cokey Party Shop — but selling a business in today’s climate is proving difficult.

“Our business still makes money, but we’re ready to retire,” Timothy said. “We just can’t do the long hours anymore.

“But nobody can afford the rent, and especially with the rates, it’s just another blow.”

Their business rates have risen from around £40 a month to £400 following the end of Covid-era relief.

The couple say they have also had to let staff go due to rising employment costs, adding pressure to day-to-day trading.

Meanwhile, at the Oriental Rug Gallery, owner Anas Al Akhoann said business rates have “almost doubled” in the past year, with his bill rising from £450 to more than £1,100.

“It’s really difficult financially,” he said. “Every business in the UK is struggling at the moment, and this has come at the wrong time.”

Despite building an international customer base, he says local pressures remain intense.

“We have to pay all this tax and overhead, but we’re competing with online sellers who don’t have the same costs,” he said. “It makes it very difficult.”

Despite this, he says there is determination among local businesses to keep going. “We don’t sit down and cry — we fight for things,” he said.

MP Greg Stafford said the situation on Wey Hill, where some businesses face increases of “around 80 per cent”, is “outrageous”.

He said the changes were not reform, but a “tax raid” on the high street, and warned traders felt punished simply for keeping their doors open.