After finding your web address, I downloaded the letter and copied it to Chris Chope, our local MP. I feel very strongly that urgent action needs to be taken or many salons will disappear from our high streets along with tens of thousands of jobs.
We would just like to let you know that we appreciate what you are doing in putting pressure on the government in order to try and bring about a fairer VAT system, similar to that of other countries,
We would like to see a system that reflects the fact that we have very little to put against our VAT charges unlike many other businesses and results in us paying out large amounts of VAT.
As a small business we are offered little or no help from the government at all. However, we are expected to meet all the rules and regulations, most of which have been designed to regulate large businesses, around employing including meeting minimum wage, holiday entitlements, paying national insurance and the upcoming pension requirements, Health and safety, paying two lots of performing rights licences, Business Rates (what that’s for we’re still not sure), Parking permits despite the fact we are bringing business into the town, etc etc etc...
Those are just a few examples. It seems as though businesses are being put apon because we don’t have a loud enough voice so it is good to know someone is fighting our corner and we will continue to pay the membership because of this.
Testimonials
I would appreciate being kept up to date with any developments by e-mail or a news letter.
Rebecca Tripp
We run a Hairdressing Salon in Chepstow called Dr Swede and we are about to open a second salon in Thornbury in Jan 2010. We run a successful business despite the environment we run it in rather than because of it.
Sullivan & Rebecca Marchant, Dr Swede, Chepstow