Oswestry hospitality businesses expect ‘dim outlook’ from Budget

Businesses in Oswestry said they were not feeling optimistic ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivering her Budget on Wednesday.

Reeves is expected to increase taxes and has said she would make the “necessary choices” for the economy, to address NHS waiting lists, the national debt and the cost of living.

The statement will be made in the House of Commons at about 12:30 GMT.

Jolyon Iles, owner of the Beech Tree, said he was expecting “a dim outlook”. “We are hopeful there will be some sort of relief for hospitality businesses, a reduction in VAT or some other means of alleviating all the other costs we are facing, but we are not optimistic,” he added.