HELENSBURGH could soon be an even better place to run a small company under changes to business rates - but the impact on medium-sized and larger firms could lead to the loss of local jobs.

The man in charge of valuing commercial property in Helensburgh and Lomond and beyond says that 81 per cent of the area’s businesses could potentially pay nothing in rates when new commercial property valuations take effect in April.

But the town’s chamber of commerce has warned of a ‘yawning gap’ between small businesses and their larger counterparts, with bigger firms potentially in line for a significant rates increase.

Assessor David Thomson, from the Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute valuation joint board, has visited Helensburgh twice in the last week to tell local business owners more about the revaluation process.

At the first of those events, organised by Helensburgh Community Council, Mr Thomson said 81 per cent of the area’s businesses could potentially be exempt from business rates when new commercial property valuations take effect in a few weeks.

Mr Thomson said: “Business rates are calculated by assessing the new rateable values against the ‘rate poundage’, which is set by the Scottish Government and has recently been reduced from 48.4 pence in the pound to 46.6 pence.

“That means that if your rateable value stays unchanged in the new revaluation, your rates will go down.

“However, we calculate that 81 per cent of properties on the valuation roll in Helensburgh and Lomond have the potential to pay nothing in business rates, and a further 4 per cent are eligible for 25 per cent relief.”

Mr Thomson also spoke at a meeting of the Helensburgh and Lomond Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. Following that second meeting, a spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce said: “Our meeting revealed a yawning gap between small businesses and their larger counterparts.

“It would seem that many medium and large businesses will be bearing the brunt of the pain of this recent revaluation. While 81 per cent of Helensburgh and Lomond businesses will pay no business rates, and 4 per cent will get some form of rates relief, the rest are facing sizeable hikes in their rates, for which there will be no relief.

“The concern is that the effect on some of our larger employers could result in the loss of some jobs.

“The appeals process should provide some relief at least for some but we would urge anyone concerned about their potential rates increase to speak to the assessors as soon as possible and get the wheels in motion.”

The new rateable values – based on properties’ net annual value as of April 2015 – come into effect on April 1, although business owners will be contacted by Argyll and Bute Council about their new rates shortly after March 15, when the new valuation roll is formally made up. Mr Thomson said rates relief schemes were a matter for councils rather than valuation boards, but encouraged any business contacted by Argyll and Bute Council over small business relief to get in touch with the authority as soon as possible.

Helensburgh councillor Richard Trail, who is one of the valuation board’s Argyll and Bute Council elected members, said: “I am delighted to hear that more than 80 per cent of local business will not be required to pay business rates.”

“Small retailers have been hit hard by the disruption in the town centre while the CHORD improvements were carried out.

“The vibrancy has returned to the town centre and I sincerely hope that existing businesses are experiencing an upturn in trade and that new businesses are encouraged to take the plunge.”

Helensburgh councillor Aileen Morton, who is also Argyll and Bute’s policy lead for economic development, said: “For Helensburgh town centre it’s good news that most businesses will either see little impact in the rates that they pay, or may pay less.

“The town-centre improvements completed in 2015 have changed the overall look of the town and it’s been great to see local businesses build on that, and external businesses attracted into the town.

“Clearly it’s a challenging time for all high streets as so many people switch to online shopping, so Helensburgh is definitely managing to buck the trend and anything that supports small, local retailers is to be welcomed.

“However, I do think it’s a real shame there is no transitional relief scheme to help some other local businesses manage the large scale increases they are facing.

“The average increase for hotels across Argyll and Bute is around about 50 per cent, and there is at least one local hotel due to see their payments more than triple.

“The council asked the Scottish Government to consider giving transitional relief, and it would have been possible to design a scheme very tailored to support this key industry.

“Tourism is a major employer across Argyll and Bute, including in Helensburgh and Lomond, so I do have some concerns around the impact this could have.”