Business rates row between Camden and British Museum to head to full hearing

A dispute between the London Borough of Camden and the British Museum over business rates is to proceed to a full hearing.

An interim hearing took place at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court last week as part of the proceedings. It has been reported that some £720,000 is at stake.

At issue is whether restaurants and a gift shop on the museum’s site should be liable to pay the full rate or whether charitable relief should be applied to the whole site.

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “The Valuation Office Agency has now rated the shops and restaurants separately from the museum.

“The case revolves around an application for charity relief to be applied to the shops and restaurants, which the council has rejected.”

A spokesperson for the museum said: “The British Museum attended the Magistrates Court to contest the case. As a charity which applies all of its funds for charitable purposes the Museum considers that charitable relief against business rates should be applied to the whole of its site. The court appointment on 16 June was an interim hearing in proceedings. The full hearing of the contested issues will not take place for some time.”