Yesterday’s announcement that the Government are planning to build millions of new homes on the face of it looks like a good thing for businesses, with many more workmen on the road working on these developments it could help to boost trade at lunchtimes, which have been hard hit by people working from home and increased competition. Upon further studying the National Planning Policy Framework we found new rules for local authorities which we feel could prevent new business from opening.

We feel this needs much more clarification and will be writing to the Minister to raise our concerns. We are worried that “walking distance” is way too ambiguous and, with the potential of new towns being built on brown and green field sites we want clarification that opportunities will be available for small businesses to open. We feel many will not bother to apply for new units as they do not have the resources to pursue planning applications and therefore the danger is this policy benefits larger national chains rather than smaller operators.

We also are unsure why takeaways have been singled out where as petrol stations and outher outlefts offer confectionary close to schools which are more likely to be bought by children than a cod and chips!

NFFF president Andrew Crook says “Small independent hospitality businesses are the back bone of the nation and provide many confidence building jobs. We are often the first place of employment for students, teaching them skills and a work ethic that they take with them for the rest of their working lives. Governemnt need to start recognising the value we bring to the economy and the communities they serve. This Government has brought in several changes in recent months without consultation and without consideration of the widereffects they can have. Our members are “working people”, event though it seems we are not recognise as such by the powers that be. We cannot continue to just sit back and allow legislation damage our fantastic sector and I will be talking to the other associations who represent the different cuisines over the weekend discuss what steps we should take in the new year.”