VALUE OF GROUSE SHOOTINGS IN GREAT BRITAIN 493 



The second difficulty in arriving at a correct valuation of Grouse shootings 

 is that in the majority of cases moors are let with houses or shooting lodges, 

 and one rent is paid for both. It is impossible to say what proportion gjiootine 

 of the rent is applicable to the shooting and what proportion to the ^°'^s^^- 

 residence. The important point to note is that but for Grouse the shooting 

 lodges would never have been built : and if Grouse shooting were to be dis- 

 continued the lodges would become vacant, and the outlay incurred upon their 

 construction would be wasted. This being so, it seems right to credit the 

 Grouse with the gross rent paid ; but it may be necessary, in order to arrive at 

 the net rent, to deduct a sum to represent interest upon the outlay on building. 



A typical example of a moderate-sized Grouse shooting would be one rented 

 at, say, £600 for a period of three months. For this the tenant would probably 

 expect to get, in addition to the shooting, a comfortable house with a garden, and 

 the services of two gamekeepers. The rent might be apportioned as follows : — 



Gross rent of furnished house and shootings . £600 



House and furniture valued at, say, £4,000 initial 



cost — interest thereon at 6 per cent. . . £240 



Wages and allowances of two gamekeepers and 



one gardener, say . . . . 150 



390 

 Net rent of shootings above . . £210 



The above sum of £210 would not represent the net profit to the proprietor, 

 for he must deduct owners' rates and taxes, wear and tear of house and 

 furniture, value of keepers' and gardeners' houses, cost of stocking the garden, 

 etc. These items would vary according to circumstances, but in most cases 

 it is doubtful whether the net profit from a rent of £600 would amount to more 

 than £150 to £200. 



The above estimate is drawn up on the assumption that the Grouse shootino- 

 and lodge are to be regarded from a purely commercial aspect as an income- 

 producing subject. But in many cases the house let with the shootings is the 

 private residence of the proprietor, and would have to be maintained in any 

 event, so that the whole interest upon the initial outlays and the expenses 

 incurred for the maintenance of the house and garden cannot form a proper 

 deduction from the shooting rent. In such a case the net profit from the 

 shootings would probably amount to fully one-third of the gross rent received. 



