| Abstrakt: |
Utility bills and running costs are higher; for some, salaries are up too; and business rates linked to inflation at 10% are a looming spectre. For many shops in the Midlands and the north in particular, business rates now represent as high a proportion of occupational costs as rent, or higher. As we head towards the Christmas retail season, the economic headwinds do not look great: inflation in double digits, output falling to the point of recession, the highest tax burden since the war, political instability domestically and conflict in Europe. [Extracted from the article] |
