Budget 2024: ‘Scary times ahead’ says chippy boss as Rachel Reeves’s announces raft of tax raids

Among the measures, Reeves confirmed that employer national insurance contributions will increase to 15 per cent from April 2026, as well as a cut to the 75 per cent discount on business rates, which will change to 40 per cent in April 2025.

Speaking to GB News, Shane Sonny and Scarlett Lee from J-Henry's Fish and Chips in Southampton warned of the impact the measures will have on Britain's high street, admitting there are "dark times ahead".

Sonny Lee, son of shop owner Shane, explained: "There's not really a lot for ourselves, the small businesses, the independents in the Budget. So I think now more than ever, it's time to support the high street.

"It's scary times ahead, I think for maybe the next five, ten years - it's looking bleak for what the high street could be looking like in years to come."

Echoing Sonny's thoughts, Shane added: "Go and support your local chip shop, your local butcher, your local greengrocer - every little helps.

"There's never been a more important time to support the small independents on the high street. Use them or lose them - it's difficult times ahead, I think."

Explaining how the new measures implemented by Reeves will affect his business, Lee admitted that the cut to business rate relief may hit harder than the increase in national insurance contributions.

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Lee said: "The big one for us is the business rates relief, I think that would be the big impact for us. It seems to be take, take, take, and nothing really given back to the individual, for the company directors and small businesses like ourselves.

"In terms of costs to the business, it could be in excess of £5,000. I'm involved with six different chip shops around Hampshire, and it could be a big impact. That's a lot of money."

When asked by host Andrew Pierce how the the national insurance increase will affect his businesses, Lee admitted: "We have so many full time managers, but I think that will have a bigger impact on bigger companies rather than the small independent ones like ourselves. So that one's not quite so bad, I don't think for us.

"We were hoping for the reduction of VAT, maybe some sort of energy cap or a reduction on corporation tax, but like I say, there's nothing for the employer in the Budget."

Hitting out at Labour's economic plans for Britain and their impact on small businesses, Lee told GB News that the Government is providing "no incentive" for Britons to go out and start a business.

Lee stated: "There's no incentive for anybody to go out there and start a business. There's so much stress and everything involved, you'd just go and get a job with five, six weeks of paid holiday a year, and not have the stress.

"And if you do actually make any profit, then you're taxed with the 25 per cent corporation tax - it's a lot of hard work for very little reward."