SALISBURY business owners have given mixed reactions to this afternoon's Spring Budget.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt's budget included a freeze on the energy price cap for another three months, among a raft of other announcements which will impact people and businesses alike.
Two of the biggest announcements made were that the UK is going to avoid technical recession this year, and that the economy is expected to grow by 1.8% in 2024.
The reaction from businesses around Salisbury was mixed, with some positive about Hunt’s budget, and others less enthusiastic about his announcements.
Read more: 15 things Jeremy Hunt announced in his Spring budget from fuel duty to childcare
Rob Daley, the landlord of The Bell and Crown, was less concerned with today’s budget and more so with the upcoming increase in the minimum wage: “The rising prices of the national minimum wage that’s going up by nine per cent. Small businesses like us, I mean we’re leased but we’re also family-run.
"So to keep up with that nine per cent everything’s going to have to go up by 10 per cent. Freezing the [beer] tax is good, yeah. But that is it, the pay rise is going to affect everyone, and prices are going to go up.”
Ilona Coryendon-Burns the owner of the shop Yoga Stuff was mostly pleased with the energy cap being frozen: “Well keeping energy prices on an even keel at the moment makes a big difference to how we budget for the year, what we get in for stock if we start to get new lines in.
"It just means that for Salisbury we are able to provide a better service.”
SEE ALSO: Chancellor confirms extension of fuel duty cut in Budget - What does this mean?
Tanz Ashton, who owns The Barber Academy was also happy with the energy cap, but not convinced by Jeremy Hunt's promises about the economy: “The energy cap is good because obviously, that’s quite realistic at the moment and quite important.
"I’m not sure about the 1.8 per cent rise in the economy, sounds a little bit unrealistic”.
The owner of The Computer Centre, Chris Zwartouw was a bit more hopeful about the Chancellors' budget: “After hearing it, it sounds quite positive, doesn’t it?
"Obviously with the energy cap being extended and that we’re not going into recession. Seems fairly positive on those points at least.”
The owner of Fisherton Warehouse did not share that hopefulness, and the criticised the government's reaction to Covid: “We destroyed the economy with our reaction to covid. It’s really that simple.
"So, it’s such a mess now. I think we’re so far in it, we’re clutching at straws a bit. We really got it wrong and the whole thing is corrupt. And you can quote me on that.”
Salisbury Model Centre owner Clive Osbaldeston hopes that the announcements will help his shop stay in business: “It all sounds good. Model making is a hobby. Hobbies are usually the first thing that goes when money gets tight, that sort of disposable income reduces.
"With that in mind then hopefully people should maintain that disposable income to spend on hobbies”.
Ashley Major the general manager of Premier Fish on Fish Row was hopeful for businesses as a whole: “I’d like to think that this positivity is wonderful. I hope he’s right.
"If he is right, I’m sure we’ll see an upturn and trade might, you know, boom again. I hope he’s right.”
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