A NOT-for-profit community group in Honiton is looking for new premises because it can't afford its Honiton Business Park rent and crippling business rates.

A NOT-for-profit community group in Honiton is looking for new premises - because it can't afford its Honiton Business Park rent and crippling business rates.Otter Rotters will be homeless at the end of August unless an alternative base is found."We can't afford the rent and, for a community group, we find the commercial business rates quite crippling," Mandy Jennings, a director of Otter Rotters, told the Herald."We can't get a rate rebate, because we are not a charity, and there has been no exchange with our landlord, Tesco, over a request for the rent to be reduced. Our current premises are out of our league."Mrs Jennings said Otter Rotters, which occupies Unit 12 at the business park, is a company limited by guarantee and staffed mainly by volunteers.It is at the heart of a number of environmental projects, including a timber recycling scheme, and relies mainly on revenue generated from specialist kerbside collections. Income is largely made up from the sale of bags and tags."Otter Rotters is a community asset and the income generated is to cover costs; we are not a commercial enterprise," said Mrs Jennings.She is appealing for information about possible new premises in Honiton. Otter Rottters is keen to stay in the town and is looking for a more central base.Mrs Jennings said: "We want the community to come forward with ideas."We need a base close to the town centre with off-road parking. We are non-smokers, have no pets and no children."Can you help keep Otter Rotters in Honiton? If you think you can, call Mrs Jennings on (01404) 549055.