Rural pharmacies in a number of parts of Scotland do not have to pay any or all of their rates to local councils.
Angus and Highland councils extend 100 per cent rates relief to rural pharmacies, while Perth and Kinross council gives 50 per cent relief to rural pharmacies with rateable values between £5,000 and £10,000. Now Aberdeenshire council is to extend 50 per cent relief to its rural pharmacies.
A spokesman for Aberdeenshire council told The Journal on November 23 that this would cover "a handful" of businesses, leading to total savings of about £8,500 for them.