Restaurants sceptical over ‘garlic and gherkins’ plan

Morgan Austin, from burger chain Burgerism, which has six main locations and first opened in Salford in 2018, said the removal of tariffs on gherkins was good news.

“Really appreciate the gherkins – that is fantastic for us,” said the 26-year-old operations manager.

But she said she would have liked to see more significant support for hospitality businesses, including a VAT reduction.

Austin said increases to the minimum wage and employer National Insurance Contributions following the previous Budget had cost Burgerism about £150,000 a year.

“We’re not a massive business,” she said. “That is a big hit to us, and that could be a whole new site for us.

“We would love to open more sites, have more jobs going for people, hire new young people, but things like that make it really difficult sometimes.”

Austin also said the measures did not go far enough to support medium-sized businesses looking to expand.

“Everyone loves a pickle, except for the 25% of people that take them off the burgers,” she said.

“I’m sure, for other businesses though, they would have loved to have seen some other things that aren’t pickles, because I think pickles can be quite niche.”

Hassan Zahid, who runs American-Mexican fusion street food business Fuego 1987 in Manchester, said the tariff changes would only have a “really minor” impact.

The 29-year-old said: “It would have helped if they reduced tariffs on raw products such as meat or chicken – the items we use as a bulk amount.

“That would help us to gain some profits rather than reducing it on garlic.”

Gavin Williams, co-owner of Mattina coffee shop in Salford, Greater Manchester, said: “I think it’s a classic Andy Burnham style – we’re going to do loads to help you out, but actually, when you look at the fine detail, the impact is nothing.”

While Mattina uses significant amounts of plant-based milk, Williams said the changes would not benefit his business because its suppliers are UK-based and therefore exempt from import tariffs.

“Our almond milk comes from Southport, which is a few miles down the road. Our oat milk comes from Milton Keynes,” Williams explained.

“So, we already produce these goods in the UK. The tariff doesn’t include import goods on the raw ingredients. So, what difference is it going to make? Zero.”

He also said reducing VAT would make a greater difference to independent hospitality businesses.

“You can’t keep increasing the minimum wage, increasing National Insurance Contributions, increasing pension contributions, increasing business rates, increasing energy, increasing everything, and not give us something back,” he complained.

“It’s getting harder and harder and harder to just maintain opening a business.”