THIS government keeps telling us that there is so much help for new businesses to build and prosper.

Having being made redundant, rather than claim benefits I decided to start a business. My new business has yet to have any help from the government or Newport council. In fact, there are more obstacles and hoops to jump through rather than it being a straightforward, ‘open your business’, trade and get some tax/rate/parking reliefs for not claiming benefits!

There are loans and grants available but the criteria is so complicated and finding the relevant grant/loan is basically a minefield so it is quite impossible to find these funding opportunities.

Also, while the Newport High Street market is being modernised the parking spaces outside my offices are always full of the workmen’s vans who are working on the project, yet when I or other business owners park our cars outside our place of work we are booked. WHY? It cannot have one rule for us workers who have businesses in the High Street and one for temporary workers modernising the area!

Rob Derraven High Street Newport