Supporting Small Business Saturday in North East Fife

Wendy at Interiors at Forty Four in Cupar

Small Business Saturday is always a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the independent shops, cafes and entrepreneurs who make North East Fife such a vibrant place. This year, I spent the day visiting several wonderful businesses in Cupar and St Andrews, including Interiors at Forty Four and Zest, to hear directly from those at the heart of our local economy.

What I heard was worrying. So many small businesses are buckling under the weight of spiralling costs - pressures that have only been made worse by the Government’s recent Budget. Their business rates “bombshell” means some small businesses are now facing tax rises worth tens of thousands of pounds at the very moment they can least afford it.

In recent weeks, I also held a breakfast meeting with local businesses in Cupar. Many told me this has been their toughest year yet. These businesses are the backbone of our communities, supporting jobs, providing vital services and helping our towns and villages thrive. They deserve a government that has their back.

Instead, businesses have been let down; from the introduction of Labour’s jobs tax to the unexpected hike in business rates that has left many fearing for their future.

That’s why the Liberal Democrats are calling for urgent action. We want to see a long-overdue fix to the broken business rates system and an emergency 5% VAT cut for hospitality businesses until April 2027 to provide immediate relief.

Without intervention, I worry that some much-loved local businesses may not survive the months ahead. I will continue to stand up for North East Fife’s small businesses and push for the support they need to weather this storm.