Prime Minister Andy Burnham has initiated his term by implementing a 20% cut to business rates for pubs and small live music venues, a move aimed at providing immediate relief.
However, business owners in the South of England have voiced skepticism, with some stating the measures are insufficient to address the mounting economic pressures. Aidan Lavin, co-owner of the Raven and Bine pub in Southampton, described the announcement as a "promising start" but feared it was "nothing even close to enough." He highlighted the cumulative impact of VAT increases, business rates, and a rising minimum wage, which he believes are squeezing businesses from multiple directions.
"It's coming to a point now where we are going to lose some of our inns and taverns, never to be returned," Lavin told the BBC, suggesting that without further intervention, many businesses in the region may not survive.
In a bid to decentralize power, Burnham spent his first day working at No. 10 North in Manchester. This new regional branch of the Prime Minister's office, located in Heron House, is intended to serve as a hub for growth and devolution. The government stated that No. 10 North will consolidate the "levers of local economic growth and devolution together under one roof for the first time," aiming to shift government functions away from Whitehall and into local communities. Megan Roberts, a customer on a bus, offered a different perspective, stating, "It's a nice idea, but I don't think it will make a difference to me."