Three of 黑洞社区鈥檚 gloomwatch panel give their verdict


Pascale Scheurer

Pascale Scheurer, director, Surface to Air Architects

Apart from the welcome spending on public projects, it does feel like Darling is shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic. I doubt the 2.5% VAT cut will convince anyone to go ahead with home improvements. It will however mean more fees to our accountants as they sort out the VAT mess 鈥� twice! Architecture practices of all sizes have cut jobs on a drastic scale in the past few weeks. The 2011 National Insurance hike will dissuade practices from keeping 鈥� or hiring 鈥� staff, and the rise in corporation tax is postponed, not dropped.


Mark Kennor

Mark Kennor, founder of start-up Pure Fit Out

It鈥檚 positive for small business. The plans to postpone the increase in corporation tax on small firms from 21% to 22% next year is the main bonus for us. Our business plan had taken into account a tax rise, so we鈥檒l now be rethinking our strategy. I would possibly use the loan scheme the government is setting up for SMEs, although I am keen to avoid borrowing as far as possible. However, I am not that impressed that VAT has been cut to 15%. Most of our work is in retail, so anything that gets people spending in the shops would be a real boost. But I don鈥檛 think saving 2.5% is going to make anyone go on a crazy shopping spree.


Markham Jones

Markham Jones, owner of builder 1st Choice Property Services

It鈥檚 being said that 10,000 people are going to get jobs installing insulation [as a result of the 拢100m the government has set aside for energy-efficiency works] but that鈥檚 nonsense. Large companies will simply absorb this. I鈥檓 certainly not expecting any work to come from it, even though this is a job I can do. The government鈥檚 plan to make sure banks keep lending to people like me won鈥檛 help as I bank with HSBC rather than one of the banks that has been baled out by the state. I am about to go to the bank for a loan and I鈥檓 seriously worried about whether I鈥檒l get it. I need the money to buy materials for a job I鈥檝e been offered and if I don鈥檛 get the loan I鈥檒l have to turn it down; it鈥檚 a catch-22 situation.