‘Didn’t go far enough’: firms give Truss’s energy bills scheme lukewarm welcome

theguardian.com:

British companies broadly welcomed the new six-month support scheme announced by government on Thursday to help them deal with soaring energy bills, which would enable some to get through the winter.

However, there was little detail given on how it would work, and several business owners said they were concerned by the limited timescale of the help on offer.

Andrew Crook was left disappointed by the government’s energy support announcement. His verdict: there was “no comfort there at all” for businesses.

“There was no detail, and to be honest it didn’t go far enough,” the fish and chip shop owner said. “This was their opportunity to take the pressure off small business and in my opinion they haven’t.”

“It takes the pressure off for six months, but only six months,” added Crook, who runs Skippers of Euxton, a chippy near Chorley in Lancashire, and who speaks for the industry as the president of the National Federation of Fish Friers.

He said his members were “aggrieved”, and did not think the support would cover their rising energy costs: “I can’t even tell you some of the messages I was sent while [the parliamentary debate] was going on.

“I’ve been speaking daily with people who are losing their business and who don’t know if they’ll have a business at Christmas.”

Speaking while frying lunchtime orders for customers, Crook said he hoped the support for households would mean consumers had some extra disposable income. “It’s great they are leaving money in the public’s pockets. That was paramount. There is no point having a business if there are no customers,” he said.

Will Beckett, co-founder and chief executive of international steakhouse chain Hawksmoor, welcomed the intervention for small businesses but said it was vital that