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This is a brilliant example of the power of good investigative journalism! Congratulations.
It feels like much of this could be avoided by adjusting legislation to shift the burden of responsibility to the landlords of these units.
If landlords were ultimately liable for unpaid tax from their commercial renters (even if only in the high-traffic zones most prone to this type of behaviour), then it would incentivise a great deal more due diligence and selectiveness in who they allowed to rent their properties.
Businesses do fail. My proposal would be a two/three strike rule. If two businesses fail, leaving behind unpaid taxes, at the same address within a five year period then HMRC and councils do automatic immediate checks on the third.
Great work, and it's good to have friends and readers in high places and palaces.
I'm reminded of a story from the 2000s when metal thefts were a huge scourge, made possible by scrapyards turning a blind eye to who was weighing in. As the government tightened legislation bringing in end to end provenance of the metals. One old style yard continued to operate. One morning as the yard was opening a swathe of police and trading standards arrived accompanied by a third team. The owner stood around nonchalantly as the police and trading standards started their work and then noticing the third team asked “Oi, who are you?” “HMRC” came the reply and the blood drained from the owner’s face. Customs and Excise have far more sweeping powers than the Met and the local authorities.
Congratulations and well done on tirelessly reporting on this topic!!
As someone who works near Oxford Street, I can’t help but notice one thing:
The beautiful Marylebone High Street, just 2minutes walk away from Oxford Street is not plagued by the ridiculous tax-evading American Candy/Tourist Traps.
I believe that Marylebone is managed by the Howard de Walden estate.
What is this Marylebone landlord doing that is SO DIFFERENT than those landlords across Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street that has resulted in no vermin shops (ie American Candy/Tourist Traps shops)? I’d love to know as the difference is extreme!!
Surely there’s a philanthropist out there who can gift London Centric £5m as a reward for their campaigning against tax-evading gift shops/even to pay for their security for life?
So glad that I’m a bragging “founding” member of this, a force of good. Still watching over you Jim, we are all too close to an origin story that turns us into James Bond supervillains :D
Brilliant work! It gives such a splendid start to the weekend to know that the skill and dedication of you and your team been so effective, and, that you’ve got HMRC and various MPs on the case too. Investigating these devious and fugitive criminals requires a skill set greater than most of us possess as well as the persistence of a web weaving spider. Well done.
Would you consider amending your graphics to use Pascal Case for accessibility? Or alt text to describe them? (The captions on the photo work well to that effect)
This is a brilliant example of the power of good investigative journalism! Congratulations.
It feels like much of this could be avoided by adjusting legislation to shift the burden of responsibility to the landlords of these units.
If landlords were ultimately liable for unpaid tax from their commercial renters (even if only in the high-traffic zones most prone to this type of behaviour), then it would incentivise a great deal more due diligence and selectiveness in who they allowed to rent their properties.
Businesses do fail. My proposal would be a two/three strike rule. If two businesses fail, leaving behind unpaid taxes, at the same address within a five year period then HMRC and councils do automatic immediate checks on the third.
Congratulations Jim and to your team. Absolutely worth paying a subscription for this and all of the other outstanding journalism you provide.
I second that!
Great work, and it's good to have friends and readers in high places and palaces.
I'm reminded of a story from the 2000s when metal thefts were a huge scourge, made possible by scrapyards turning a blind eye to who was weighing in. As the government tightened legislation bringing in end to end provenance of the metals. One old style yard continued to operate. One morning as the yard was opening a swathe of police and trading standards arrived accompanied by a third team. The owner stood around nonchalantly as the police and trading standards started their work and then noticing the third team asked “Oi, who are you?” “HMRC” came the reply and the blood drained from the owner’s face. Customs and Excise have far more sweeping powers than the Met and the local authorities.
Stopping criminals by getting the tax man to come for them goes right back to Al Capone…
I am very glad to have followed your publication since the very beginning and recently having gone for a subscription as well.
This meat and potatoes journalism is what makes up democracy as well.
Congratulations and well done on tirelessly reporting on this topic!!
As someone who works near Oxford Street, I can’t help but notice one thing:
The beautiful Marylebone High Street, just 2minutes walk away from Oxford Street is not plagued by the ridiculous tax-evading American Candy/Tourist Traps.
I believe that Marylebone is managed by the Howard de Walden estate.
What is this Marylebone landlord doing that is SO DIFFERENT than those landlords across Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street that has resulted in no vermin shops (ie American Candy/Tourist Traps shops)? I’d love to know as the difference is extreme!!
Landlord chooses not to rent to dodgy shops due to putting long term quality of area and sustainable rents over quick profits. Simple.
Great work but I’m not going to celebrate arrests of people who are probably hyper exploited migrant students arrested for working on their visas
Bravo LC
Surely there’s a philanthropist out there who can gift London Centric £5m as a reward for their campaigning against tax-evading gift shops/even to pay for their security for life?
You joke but if anyone can spare £10k, no strings attached, I’ll stick a reporter on this full time for three months. Who knows what they’d find!
Journalism is both incredible cheap in terms of impact you can achieve with limited funds spent well…. And still incredibly under funded.
So glad that I’m a bragging “founding” member of this, a force of good. Still watching over you Jim, we are all too close to an origin story that turns us into James Bond supervillains :D
Brilliant work! It gives such a splendid start to the weekend to know that the skill and dedication of you and your team been so effective, and, that you’ve got HMRC and various MPs on the case too. Investigating these devious and fugitive criminals requires a skill set greater than most of us possess as well as the persistence of a web weaving spider. Well done.
This is such important work. Journalism at its best. Well done. 👏
Would you consider amending your graphics to use Pascal Case for accessibility? Or alt text to describe them? (The captions on the photo work well to that effect)
Great journalism. Congratulations