A BUSINESSMAN has blamed “extortionate” business rates after his restaurant went bust.

Cozy Carvery, in High Street, Colchester, has shut down for good.

The restaurant was put into liquidation this month after it could no longer pay the bills.

Osman Rasih, owner, also ran the eatery when it was called Copacabana.

It too went under last year for the same reasons but Mr Rasih said he wanted to try again, renaming it Cozy Carvery.

He said this time it will be remaining shut.

Mr Rasih said: “We couldn’t afford the £11,000 of business rates on Cozy Carvery. We just couldn’t carry on with it.

“This is what’s causing businesses to go into liquidation, the business rates. It’s extortionate.

“I look at the amount of shops closing down and the authorities are just letting it happen.”

Business rates are set by the Government and collected by Colchester Council, which has no control over the amounts.