 The book High Fidelity is set in an independent music shop |
A best-selling British author is backing a campaign to close a tax loophole which is being exploited by some retailers in the Channel Islands. Nick Hornby, who wrote High Fidelity, fears the loophole is threatening independent music shops in the UK.
Goods valued at less than �18 can be imported into the UK with no VAT and some major retailers have set up mail order outlets in the islands.
Mr Hornby is supporting the Forum of Private Business to change the rules.
He describes himself as an avid music fan and has claimed the tax loophole is allowing large companies to sell cheap tax-free imports on the internet, squeezing out independent music shops.
Mr Hornby's best-seller High Fidelity is set in an independent record shop.
The UK Treasury has been putting Jersey and Guernsey under mounting pressure, claiming it is currently losing about �80m a year because of the loophole.
Last July the States of Jersey said it was planning to introduce a licence which would control the growth of internet mail order companies in the UK and would also be required by firms operating in the islands.
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