The Wiltshire Museum is an independent charity which has been located in the same Grade II listed building in the historic market town of Devizes since 1874. It contains the largest collection of Early Bronze Age gold ever put on public display in England. Yet with net public funding of just ÂŁ670 towards running costs, the museum relies almost entirely on money from admissions, events and the generosity of its members, present and past.
Goodman Nash’s expert rating audit and data experts identified possible savings to be made on the museum’s rateable value.
Our team approached the museum’s trust to ask if they would like Goodman Nash to act on their behalf to establish whether there was any error in the calculations undertaken by the Valuation Office, or Council. With Goodman Nash’s no win, no fee guarantee, the trust agreed that there was nothing to lose and potentially much to gain.
Museum properties present significant complexity when it comes to business rates, both with valuation and billing, particularly with a number of recent changes in how tourist attraction buildings are valued.
But just because you have been in your property a long time doesn’t mean you are necessarily paying the correct rates. The good news for the museum is that their rates have now been reduced by two thirds.
Goodman Nash worked with the museum trust to establish the correct valuation methodology to be applied, applying our extensive expertise of this type of valuation and recent case law.
Following our submission to the Valuation Office, Goodman Nash secured significant refunds back to the trust, which is particularly welcome for an organisation so dependent on grants and donations to achieve its aims.
“Having occupied their property since the 19th century, the trust were surprised that anything could change with their property rates,” explains Andrew Wheeler, Board Director at Goodman Nash.
Goodman Nash are confident that by continuing to work closely with the trust, they will also be able to realise further savings in the future. Money that will play a vital part in ensuring that the public can continue to explore Wiltshire’s unique heritage for years to come.