Budget a 'mixed bag' for independent businesses
Budget a 'mixed bag' for independent businesses
George Torr - Long EatonThu, October 29, 2026 at 3:05 PM UTC
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Kenny Mann said the chancellor could have done more to support small businesses
An independent restaurant owner has said the chancellor's Budget has not gone far enough for small businesses.
Kenny Mann, who runs Limas in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, said the raft of announcements on Wednesday was a "mixed bag" and felt more could have been done to help small firms.
He welcomed the relief on businesses rates, but added the increase of the minimum wage of 3.9% in April would effectively cancel it out.
Speaking to the BBC, Mann said: "Small businesses and independents are really going to struggle, I think, moving forward."
Limas opened in 2023, and Kenny said the first year was "incredibly tough" with inflation and the cost of energy hitting the hospitality sector hard.
He said the business was now ticking over nicely but that the measure of his success would be quite different to others.
"It's about keeping the door open, paying the bills, paying the VAT on time, making sure the staff are paid, rent paid, etc.
"So if you can count surviving and staying open as success, then at the moment we're successful. But to me, that's not success, and that's not sustainable for a long period of time."
Kenny said he measured success today on paying his bills and his staff on time
Chancellor John Healy announced a raft of measures in the Budget more widely aimed at giving the country some "breathing space" from the cost of living.
The threshold at which High Street shops start paying business rates in England will be increased from £12,000 to £18,000, meaning businesses would pay no rates on properties with a rateable value below this level.
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From 1 April 2027, workers over 21 on the National Living Wage will be paid £13.21p per hour, up 50p from the current £12.71 an hour.
The rate for 18 to 20-year-olds will rise to £11.27 an hour from 1 April, up from £10.85. For someone working full-time, that means an increase of £760 to their gross annual earnings.
The minimum wage for 16 and 17-year-olds is also rising by 3.9%, increasing from £8 an hour to £8.31.
Chancellor John Healey set out a range of measures, including the cost of living, tax, pensions, defence, housing and skills
Kenny, who watched the Budget in real time from his restaurant bar, said the chancellor was moving money around with no real benefit to him.
"There's obviously business rate reliefs, which will help in one hand, but the rise in national insurance minimum wage for those young people just means that you're taking from one and giving to the other.
"It's pretty much cost neutral, essentially, so it's not enough, it's not enough, and small businesses and independents are really going to struggle, I think, moving forward."
Max Andrew works part-time as one of Kenny's front-of-house staff.
He secured employment after a stint of work experience through school. He welcomed the rise in the minimum wage but he feels it could stop employers hiring more young people in future.
"It's good for people who are working, but if businesses are paying that bit extra, then they might not be able to afford more apprentices or younger people working.
"I do think it is good, but then at the same time, it might not help more young people getting more jobs."
Max Andrew said he welcomed an increase in the minimum wage, but thought employers may think twice about employing more young people
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Source: “AOL Money”
