VILLAGE businesses hit by a slump in trade because of the foot and mouth crisis have finally won their battle for rates reductions.

Now traders in Hutton-le-Hole are hoping 2002 will see tourists flocking back to the picturesque village on the edge of the North York Moors.

Businesses have lost many tens of thousands of pounds worth of custom in 2001, as many visitors stayed away following the closure of public footpaths.

The Evening Press reported in August how - six months after the start of the foot and mouth outbreak and with the surrounding moors still largely out of bounds - the village remained quieter than normal.

Landlord Phil Mintoft now reckons that his village pub, The Crown, has lost £65,000 - £70,000 of trade during the year - making it his worst season since he took over 16 years ago.

But he says that, after endless form-filling and red tape, he has finally heard recently that he is entitled to a rates reduction worth about £3,000.

He said he will simply be excused making his monthly payment for four months. "It's better than nothing," he said. "Anything helps."

He did not anticipate any more help from the state, and said he had only survived the year because his own landlords had reduced his rent in recognition of the impact of foot and mouth.

Now he was looking forward to a better year as tourists - hopefully - returned to the village in their droves, following the reopening of the footpaths. "It cannot get any worse," he said.

The village's Barn Hotel and Tearooms have also won a business rates reduction after losing an estimated 20 per cent of trade in 2001.

Proprietor Gordon Fairhurst said the reduction helped, although he was still thousands of pounds down because of foot and mouth.

He said things had picked up recently, and he also hoped the missing visitors would return next year, especially as people were likely to take less holidays abroad. "I am fairly optimistic," he said.

Updated: 10:59 Saturday, December 29, 2001