Galleries loses rates legal battle

THE National Galleries of Scotland has lost a legal battle to claim back £100,000 in rates it believes should not have been paid on its restaurant on The Mound, it emerged today.

The galleries receives charitable rates relief on its buildings in the Capital, which encompass the National Gallery of Scotland, the Royal Scottish Academy and the Weston Link, a complex which includes gallery space, a cafe, shop and restaurant. But since the 30 million link was opened in 2004, the galleries has been denied the rates reduction on the restaurant which the rest of the complex receives.

This was viewed as an "error" by the galleries.

However, the galleries' appeal at the Lands Valuation Appeal Court at the Court of session has failed and it will now not be able to recover the 20,000 per year it believed it has wrongly paid in rates.