“ (a) carries on a trade in a tax year, and (b) makes a loss in the trade in the tax year … ”
“(1) Trade loss relief against general income for a loss made in a trade in a tax year is not available unless the trade is commercial. (2) The trade is commercial if it is carried on throughout the basis period for the tax year— (a) on a commercial basis, and (b) with a view to the realisation of profits of the trade. (3) If at any time a trade is carried on so as to afford a reasonable expectation of profit, it is treated as carried on at that time with a view to the realisation of profits. (4) … (5) If there is a change in the basis period in the way in which the trade is carried on, the trade is treated as carried on throughout the basis period in the way in which it is carried on by the end of the basis period. ”
“ ...the best guide is to view “commercial” as the antithesis of “uncommercial”... A trade may be conducted in an uncommercial way either because the terms of trade are uncommercial (for instance, the hobby market-gardening enterprise where the prices of fruit and vegetables do not realistically reflect the overheads and variable costs of the enterprise) or because the way in which the trade is conducted is uncommercial in other respects (for instance, the hobby art gallery or antique shop where the opening hours are unpredictable and depend simply on the owner’s convenience). The distinction is between the serious trader who, whatever his shortcomings in skill, experience or capital, is seriously interested in profit, and the amateur or dilettante. ”
“ … In our view the focus is on whether the taxpayer has a genuine view to the realisation of profit with the trade being carried on in the particular way in which it is actually carried on in the basis period. Section 66(5) deals with changes in the way a trade is carried on during the basis period. The result is that a taxpayer is not permitted relief where it is anticipated that at some future date the way in which the business is carried on will or may change enabling profits to be generated in the future. The taxpayer cannot rely for the purposes of loss relief under section 64 on a change in the way a business is carried on after the end of the basis period. Still less where the change may or may not happen at an indeterminate time in the future. ”