A COMMUNITY farm shop and café has closed its doors leaving 14 staff without jobs after being hit by soaring business rates.

Greenstead Family Barns Cafe, in Greenstead Green, shut on Monday after the owners decided the business was no longer viable.

Mark Grant, 42, who took over from the previous owners in February, said the firm would not be able to continue after business rates for the shop went up from £500 to £3,400 a month.

The increase came after the Valuation Office Agency re-evaluated the business in November and found it had not been paying enough.

Mr Grant was sent through the new bill by Braintree Council, which collects the rates.

The shop employed three full time and 11 part time workers, who have now all lost their jobs.

Mr Grant said: “I was sent the letter and I kept it to myself, I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s Christmas.

“I phoned up the Valuation Office and they said the calculations they had made in the past were wrong.

“I tried fighting it, but they weren’t prepared to talk.”

The other businesses which run on site, including a post office, Tiggys Farm, Carousel, a pet foods shop, Sugar and Spice, and a nursery, are not affected by the closure.

Mr Grant said he wants to find a new owner to take over the shop and cafe.

He said: “I had fantastic support from the community in the village, who used the shop from the word go.

“Greenstead Green has been an ideal location but this has taken the wind out of my sails. I’d ideally like someone to come forward and take it over, but we might have to close the business down completely if this doesn’t happen.”

A spokesman for the Valuation Office Agency said: “Rateable values are based on an open market rental value on a fixed date.

“For this revaluation it is April 1 2015.

“Rateable values in the rating lists are used by councils to calculate business rates bills. Our duty is to maintain accurate rating lists.”

A spokesman for Braintree Council said: “We do not set the business rates and we have to bill according to the rateable value determined by the Valuation Office Agency however we do offer a number of relief schemes that could help small businesses.

“Any business concerned about business rates can contact our business rates team on 01376 557788 to find out how we can help.”