A FORMER furniture store and the operator of an ice rink are among 22 businesses owing more than £470,000 between them in unpaid business rates to Blackpool Council.

Town hall finance chiefs have published details of the latest batch of business rate debts they have had to write off due to bankruptcy or there being ‘no prospect’ of recovering the money.

The full total of £471,198 includes £23,694 owed by Richard Lefton Furnishings Ltd, whose showroom in General Street closed in 2019 after the family owned retailer had traded for 75 years in the resort.

Managing director Richard Lefton died, aged 54, in January 2020 after being admitted to Blackpool Victoria Hospital with sepsis.

Olsen and Redfern Ltd is recorded as owing the council £25,169 in connection with the operation of an ice rink.

Companies House lists Daniel Nicholson as a director of the company, who previously operated the Fylde Coast Ice Arena at the former TVR site on Bristol Avenue in Bispham until it shut in May 2017.

The biggest single chunk of unpaid business debts is £44,383 owed by Casual Wholesale Ltd for a shop and premises.

A total of £28,170 is owed by the New Oxford Hotel on Albert Road, believed to be from previous operators, while Casey’s Hotel and Bar on Dickson Road owes £14,324.

The latest debts have been written off between October 2020 and September this year, and the total compares to £557,418 of business rates unpaid for the period prior to April 2020.

Provision for bad debt is made by the council as part of its business rate collection regime and debts are only written off when there is no chance of recovering the money.

But a council report adds: “It is good practice for the council to write legitimate business rate debt off, however any debt written-off can be re-instated at a later date should there be an unforeseen opportunity to recover part or all of the debt.”

The full list of business rates written off for period 01/10/20 to 01/09/21 :-

Casual Wholesale Ltd £44,383.00 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises

Lyndon-Dykes Ltd £ 41,516.26 Bankruptcy/Insolvency Hotel and Premises

W.S.Slater & Co. Ltd £ 39,946.75 No Prospect of Recovery Warehouse and Premises

Retail Group UK Ltd £ 34,111.74 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises

NT Wholesale Newport Ltd £ 30,613.20 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises

The New Oxford Hotel Ltd £ 28,170.87 Bankruptcy/Insolvency Hotel and Premises

Olsen & Redfern Ltd £ 25,169.00 No Prospect of Recovery Ice Skating Rink

Richard Lefton Furnishings Ltd £ 23,694.02 Bankruptcy/Insolvency

Showroom and Premises

GYPS Hotels UK Ltd £ 22,046.01 No Prospect of Recovery Hotel and Premises

R S Apartments Ltd £ 20,482.72 No Prospect of Recovery

Self-Catering holiday units and premises

Aamir Retail Ltd £ 18,464.28 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises

Golden Beach Hotel Ltd £ 15,644.50 No Prospect of Recovery Hotel and Premises

West Coast Trade Ltd £ 15,352.45 No Prospect of Recovery Offices and Premises

Casey’s Hotel (Blackpool) Ltd £ 14,324.29 No Prospect of Recovery

Guest House, Bar and Premises

Ratepayer (personal name redacted) £ 14,208.52

Whereabouts Unknown – Gone Away Workshop and Premises

Concierge Services Direct Ltd £ 13,411.27 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises

Ratepayer (personal name redacted) £ 12,783.24 Bankruptcy/Insolvency Shop and Premises

Ratepayer (personal name redacted) £ 12,631.55 Bankruptcy/Insolvency

Hotel and Premises

Ratepayer (personal name redacted) £ 11,743.27 Bankruptcy/InsolvencyGuest House Restaurant and Premises

Facefood (Blackpool) Ltd £ 11,345.02 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises

Navkaar Ltd £ 11,116.96 No Prospect of Recovery Shop and Premises

Poolout Ltd £ 10,039.47 No Prospect of Recovery Public House and

Premises

Total £471,198.39