Some justice is in sight for Marlborough town councillor Val Compton, who organised a boycott campaign against Caffe Nero opening without planning consent in the High Street and then being revealed as paying no corporation tax in the UK.
The company, which legally used avoidance on its last known profits of £39.9 million by being registered in the tax haven of the Isle of Man, is to be hit by Chancellor George Osborne’s budget.
He revealed in the House of Commons on Wednesday that the government had come to agreements with the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands to put an end to international companies using them to avoid their tax obligations.
And that has delighted Councillor Compton, an independent co-opted member of the town council, whose boycott campaign last year highlighted a Sunday Times story that exposed the tax loophole used by major firms.
She said at the time: “I will never support businesses I feel are immoral or downright selfish money grabbers. I will never drink Nero coffee and I urge other people to just consider, before they go into Caffe Nero, if there is another business where there money could be better spent.”
In a statement to Marlborough News Online, she now adds: “What angered so many people, when Caffe Nero opened its doors in the High Street, was the arrogance with which they did so, deliberately not seeking planning consent until the last moment, then the subsequent revelation that they are one of those offshore companies that apparently pays no corporation tax in the UK.”
“I am delighted to note that their arrogance, as far as taxation is concerned, has blown up in their face, with the agreement the government has reached with the Isle of Man, to end the tax avoidance of companies like Caffe Nero, who are based there.”
“Caffe Nero may have won their retrospective planning application appeal, much to the chagrin of many, but at least there is some form of justice on the financial front”.
And she added: “There may not have been much in the budget to shout about, but when it comes to genuine justice for the big multi-nationals – I do have a tendency to simply shout Hurrah – very loudly!”
Now the flag of the new Archbishop of Canterbury flies above Marlborough town Hall
