Rollerworld: 'We've been completely disregarded by the Government'

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak declared an extension to the furlough scheme, as well as an increase in corporation tax in the budget announcement.

He said coronavirus has caused one of the “largest, most comprehensive and sustained economic shocks this country has ever faced”, with borrowing forecasted to be £234 billion next year.

So Mr Sunak said the Government’s furlough scheme will be extended to the end of September, as will support for the self-employed.

A new restart grant will launch next month to help businesses reopen, with £5 billion of funding.

The business rates holiday for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors will continue until the end of June, and will be discounted by two thirds for the remaining nine months of the year.

However, some businesses are concerned they will not be able to reopen following months of closure caused by the pandemic.

Anne Khan, who runs Rollerworld, in Colchester, said the business loses more than £5,000 for every week it remains closed, taking in rent payments and overhead costs.

Following the budget announcement she said: “I feel we have been completely disregarded and forgotten by the Government.

“The money we get given does not even touch the sides as we cannot open until at least May.

“There is a strong possibility that we won’t be able to make it through this year as a business.

“We were hoping we would get more help from the Government, but we are not even sure what it is offering applies to us.”

Mrs Khan said the business has been relying on the public’s generosity and loans for months.

General manager Karl Zabroski has even been baking and selling cakes, with the proceeds going towards the rink’s survival.

The Office for Budget Responsibility is now forecasting “a swifter and more sustained recovery” than they expected in November, predicting the economy will be 3 per cent smaller than it would have been in five years’ time because of the coronavirus crisis.