Firm's goals is to challenge taxman

Goals Soccer Centres, the East Kilbride-based five-a-side operator, is challenging a decision by the taxman that it should charge VAT on all its activities.

At the firm's AGM yesterday, chairman Sir Rodney Walker said the company would still trade in line with expectations, despite setting aside 650,000 a year to pay the extra sales tax while it challenges HM Revenue and Customs' claim.

The company had not been paying VAT on block bookings of its pitches, as it says they are exempt. But in February, HMRC issued a brief which said the tax was payable at the standard rate.

Walker said: "We are challenging this claim and remain confident of our position."

But he said the impact of an adverse ruling on the matter on the company's cash flow would not be "material".

He added: "We remain on schedule to open four new centres during this year, bringing the total number of centres operated by Goals to 46 by December 2011."