In a bold move, a North Yorkshire hairdresser has banned all Labour MPs from entering his salon, citing the government’s failure to address the industry’s financial woes. Alan Simpson, the owner of Contemporary Salons, says he is being “taxed out of business” due to a perfect storm of rising costs, including business rates, employer national insurance contributions, energy bills, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Simpson expressed his frustration, stating, “Business rates are killing us, along with the rise in employer’s national insurance contributions. There’s energy costs, increases in the price of stock, and we are still paying back COVID-19 loans.” He has now permanently barred his local MP, Luke Myer of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, as well as other Labour representatives, until the government takes action to support the struggling hair and beauty sector.
Simpson’s move comes on the heels of a similar protest by over 1,000 pub landlords across the country, who have also banned Labour MPs from their premises in response to rising business rates. The backlash has seemingly prompted a potential U-turn from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who may now be considering measures to alleviate the burden on high street businesses.
In a statement, Myer acknowledged the challenges facing local enterprises, saying, “He [Mr Simpson] is right that it has become far too difficult for many businesses to balance rising costs, while continuing to offer jobs and apprenticeships.” Myer claims to have raised these concerns with ministers, but Simpson says he was only offered a meeting at a constituency surgery, which he declined, preferring to discuss the issues on his own turf.
A government spokesperson defended the administration’s efforts, highlighting a £4.3 billion support package to limit business rate rises, a 25% cap on corporation tax, and investments in apprenticeships. However, Simpson and other small business owners argue that these measures do not go far enough to address the fundamental issues threatening the viability of their enterprises.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to squeeze household budgets, the government will face increasing pressure to provide more substantial relief for struggling high street businesses, lest they risk a further exodus of jobs and services from local communities.
