Fiercely private discount retailer Home Bargains paid its billionaire owner a £15.8million dividend – but declined to say yesterday whether it has accepted a business rates holiday worth twice that amount.
Home Bargains annual business rates obligations are estimated by a property adviser to be £36million on sales of £2.8billion.
But, unless it repaid the cash, it would have benefited from a 12-month holiday for all retailers as part of Government efforts to help store chains in need.
Home Bargains has declined to say yesterday whether it has accepted a business rates holiday
However, stores including Tesco, Burberry and Home Bargains’ rival discounter B&M Bargains have all paid after deciding they could afford to do so.
A spokesman for Home Bargains majority shareholder Tom Morris said yesterday he was not available to comment.
The company filed documents yesterday revealing profit in the year to June 30 rose almost £30million to £262.7million.
It said ‘exceptional costs’ related to Covid-19 were £14.4million in the period.
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