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Small businesses short-changed by Budget

Apr 29 2009

The Chancellor left little for small businesses

It seems the chancellor’s 2009 Budget has made life harder for SMEs.

In a poll conducted by SmallBusiness.co.uk, more than 75 per cent said the chancellor’s Budget failed to deliver, with 12 per cent saying it was what they expected.

Alex Ciangola, owner of Eclipse Hairdressers, says: ‘I’m really disappointed that they didn’t do anything to reduce business rates. We’ve had to make cuts, and property values have gone down by 40 per cent where I have some of my salons. So I don’t see why the government can’t make it a bit more affordable for small businesses to survive.

‘It seems that they haven’t even considered small businesses at all in the Budget. They either don’t realise, or don’t care that we need help.’

Graeme Marsh, owner of personal training business Aegis Training, says: ‘I think what the public needed was a shot in the arm for spending confidence. Instead, [the chancellor] has taken money out of their pockets. I pitch to high-net-worth individuals in London, so the increase in taxes may affect my business.’

Of the 198 respondents, only three per cent said they were pleasantly surprised by the measures announced.

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