Shop rate cut helps city: DFP

Mr Wilson, who introduced the concession for one year this April, stated that “the aim of the policy was to get long term empty shops and other retail premises back into business and to help rejuvenate town centres.”

He said businesses in Londonderry were amongst those he has personally seen to have been benefitting.

“Over recent months I have personally visited businesses in a number of towns across Northern Ireland including Fermanagh, Larne, Lisburn and Londonderry who have benefitted from the new scheme and have been impressed by the impact it is having in giving businesses a helpful start and also in arresting the decline in some of our traditional shopping areas,” he stated.

He advised he will be considering the case for extending the scheme for a further period.

“To date there have been 32 successful applications to the new scheme with total relief awarded to date of £77,636,” he explained.