Budget puts Stockton Heath’s hospitality economy at risk say Lib Dems

THE recent Budget risks “choking off” Stockton Heath’s thriving hospitality sector with rising costs and uncertainty, say local Lib Dems.

National trade bodies and small operators have already warned that, despite talk of supporting high streets, many pubs, cafés and family-run venues now face sharp increases in their business rates and wage bills.
Sharon Harris, one of the Liberal Democrat Councillors for Stockton Heath, said: “We were the first village in the UK to receive a Purple Flag award for the quality and safety of our evening and night-time economy. The village’s independent restaurants, bars, wine bars and cafés are central to local jobs, the night-time economy and Stockton Heath’s reputation as a destination. Hospitality businesses are the backbone of our village, bringing life to our streets, providing jobs for local people and drawing visitors from across Warrington and beyond.
“Labour’s Budget risks giving with one hand and taking away with the other. While the headlines talk about permanently lower taxes, the reality for many of our local venues is higher business rates, rising wage costs, and yet more uncertainty. Our independent restaurants, bars and pubs don’t have the buffers of big national chains. A rise of a few thousand pounds a year in business rates, on top of higher energy, food and staffing costs, can be the difference between survival and closure.
“I will continue to stand up for Stockton Heath at Warrington Borough Council. We need a dialogue between central government, the Council and local businesses to ensure the impact of national tax changes on areas like Stockton Heath is fully understood and mitigated. I urge residents to ‘go local’ over the winter by choosing Stockton Heath’s pubs, restaurants, cafés and wine bars wherever possible. Every meal out, every coffee, every drink in a local bar helps keep these businesses alive. We must not sleepwalk into a situation where rising costs and a short-sighted national Budget hollow out the very places that make Stockton Heath special.”