Shipley shopkeepers have won a two-year battle for compensation after seeing their business dwindle.

A tribunal considering appeals that business rates in Shipley centre are too high has ruled that some rates should be cut by up to 30 per cent and payments backdated to October 1996 should be refunded.

The traders' appeal against business rates set by the Inland Revenue's Valuation Office in Leeds was originally turned down in October 1996 but determined traders appealed to the West Yorkshire Valuation Tribunal.

They claimed that lack of parking facilities and the pedestrianisation of Shipley town centre have led to a severe downturn in the number of shoppers visiting the town while business rates have remained constantly high.

Now Shipley businesses including Goldsmith Jewellers of Westgate, JJ Florists, Sparkles Discount Store, Paul Withey Estate Agents, of Kirkgate, and Andrew's Electricals will save thousands in rates and some may receive windfall payments of tens of thousands of pounds footed by Bradford Council. The Council collects the rates and passes them on to the Inland Revenue which then redistributes the money.

Andrew Stacey, of chartered surveyors Storey Sons and Parker who represented the shops, said: "The good news for the local traders is that the payment is backdated. In some cases they should receive quite sizeable sums.

"But it's not only shops that appealed that are going to benefit. I would ask all the shops in Shipley centre to appeal against their rates. In theory all properties in the area are entitled to similar reductions but in reality it never happens unless an appeal is made."

Councillor Phil Thornton (Lab, Shipley East) said Council services wouldn't be affected by the pay-out.

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