Swinney rolls out the rate change news

FINANCE Secretary John Swinney was getting to grips with the delicate art of cooking chapati yesterday

at the official opening of a new Sikh cafe, the Punjab'n de Rasoi, on Leith Walk, which was set up with the help of government funding.

The visit was held to highlight the 3,600 small Scottish firms set to become eligible for a business rates discount through an expansion of the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which comes into effect tomorrow.

Almost 60 per cent of all business premises in Scotland will be better off, with average business rates savings of more than 1,300.