Oyston in Preston quit threat
Multi-millionaire Owen Oyston has said he will take his businesses out of Preston, if Town Hall chiefs cannot help him solve a problem costing him thousands of pounds.
The tycoon, who runs businesses including Oyston's estate agents, property company Denwis Ltd and Blackpool FC out of Oyston Mill on
Strand Road in the city, said he is currently haemorrhaging up to 80,000- a-year on crippling empty property rates for the building.
He said that unless he can get a planning application to demolish the
mill and build a block of 80 apartments and offices on the site, he will
quit the city for Blackpool putting the future of 35 small businesses under threat.
The 75-year-old is now offering to give empty units in the landmark building over to local charities, which are exempt from rates, for a small cost in a bid to fill up the space and bring down the costs.
Mr Oyston said: "Preston is forcing us out of here, we will have to take
all our companies out, and they will lose rates from the estate agents, Denwis and all the other businesses.
"Then we will move to purpose-built premises in Blackpool, probably
at the football club; I still do not want to leave, I would much rather stay here but it looks more and more like we will now.
"Do the council want us to leave and go to Blackpool and put all these businesses in that difficult position?
"We have put two planning applications together which retain the half
of the mill which is used and then a separate plan for a detached hotel or apartments which will make the thing viable.
"We want to stay here but we have to get something happening on the planning application.
"We are asking the council to look favourably on us and give us some concessions.
"If they do not, we will have no alternative but to leave and the businesses here will either go elsewhere or disappear."
The tycoon, whose fortune is estimated at 85m, including Blackpool
FC, said he hopes the charity offer, which is being run through the Angels of the North charity run in his Lancashire Magazine business, will buy the mill some extra time.
The building has large areas of up to 1,200 sq ft available which can be
used on its own or divided into offices.
Denwis spokesman Rosemary Conlon said: "It is a central location, close to local shops, the docks and plenty of car parking spaces.
"I am sure many charities can benefit from the space."
Preston Council leader Ken Hudson said the authority had done "everything in its power" to support Mr Oyston in getting a rebate on the bill – but said he could not influence planning matters.
He said:"We obviously want to see the businesses in Oyston Mill remain
here and prosper in Preston but I cannot comment on any matters of planning because those are a decision for the planning committee.
"I have letters from Mr Oyston thanking us for all we have done to
assist him on his rates bills and we shall continue to assist him where we can on that matter."
A council spokesman said its planning department had held talks with Mr Oyston over his application for the mill and was now awaiting "amended plans."
It is believed council planning officers have raised a number of issues over access onto the site.
Are you a charity interested in taking space at Oyston Mill? For further details, contact Rosemary Conlon on 01772 329570
For more on this story, don't miss your free, eight-page lepbusinessweek supplement only in Tuesday's Evening Post.
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Weather for Preston
Thursday 29 July 2010
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 15 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 28 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light rain
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