Tribunals · St Albans City and District Council · 2017 rating list

Thai Square, 27 - 28 George Street, AL3 4ES

Restaurant and premises Decided 15 May 2025 CHG101100359 Knight Frank - Emily Woodhams

OutcomeAllowed in partThe tribunal reduced the rateable value, but by less than the ratepayer sought.
Original RV£155,000£420/m²
Ratepayer sought—
VO conceded first£123,000−21% before the hearing
Tribunal decided£116,000£390/m²

Figures are as stated in the decision; a dash means the document does not state that figure.

What was argued and what the tribunal found

The appellant challenged the Valuation Officer's revised assessment of £123,000 RV, seeking a reduction to £114,000 based on an argued unadjusted rate of £382.50/m2 instead of the £420/m2 applied. The tribunal, applying tonal comparables analysis and having regard to comparable properties in central St Albans with rates ranging from £350-£425/m2, determined the existing UAR of £420/m2 was unreasonable and adopted £390/m2 as appropriate. The tribunal allowed a 15% end allowance for layout and access issues but rejected the appellant's claim for additional allowance for the building's unusual shape and poor loading, reducing the assessment to £116,000 RV.

Summary generated from the decision text and checked against it. The appellant was Catering UK Ltd T/A Thai Square, represented.

Grounds argued

  • Comparable assessments (tone)
  • Quantum or end allowance
Evidence
tone_of_list_comparables, Earlier tribunal decisions
Cases cited
Lotus and Delta v Culverwell; Gardiner & Theobald LLP v David Jackson
Hearing
16 April 2025

Similar decisions

All decisions in St Albans City and District Council · Pubs, hotels and leisure nationally

Is your own rateable value in line?

A free check compares a property with the assessments around it and says plainly whether there is anything worth pursuing.

Check a property

The tribunal’s decision in full

Download the PDF · Find it on valuationtribunal.gov.uk

Decision © Crown copyright, published by the Valuation Tribunal Service under the Open Government Licence v3.0 and reproduced unaltered. This site does not index the names of private individuals that appear in decisions. Information, not advice.