Norfolk businesses reflect on backing Brexit

It has been five years since the UK officially left the European Union and became an independent nation.

In the 2016 referendum, 58% of people in Norfolk voted Leave - well above the national average.

Opinion polls suggest a majority of people now believe Brexit has been bad for the UK - and it is widely accepted it has, in the short term at least, adversely affected some of those who trade with the EU.

Two Norfolk business owners, who both voted Leave, have shared their views on whether it was right to back Brexit.

'I have many regrets'

Food processor Steve Williamson blames extra red tape and a poor fishing deal for him having to shed staff

Steven Williamson is the director of Lynn Shellfish, based in King's Lynn.

His factory processes freshly caught whelks, shrimps, cockles, mussels and scallops, most of which are sold to the European and Asian markets.

His company was one of the first to be affected by the post-Brexit trading rules, when one of its lorries was held for five days by customs at Rotterdam Port.

At the time Mr Williamson, an ardent supporter of Brexit, said he was determined to work through what the then government called "teething problems".

Now, though, he says he has "many regrets, most weeks" about Brexit.

"It is costing us between £59,000 and £60,000 per annum extra on health certificates, export certificates and veterinary certificates," he says.

"What used to be a 15-minute exercise for someone to do the documentation to send a truck to Europe now takes three to four hours. It's a hassle we can do without."

For the first time in his company's 50-year history he has had to shed staff, which he blames on the poor deal obtained for the fishing industry.

"We just didn't have the work we used to have," he says.

"I was a strong Brexit supporter. I made that decision to try to save our industry - we believed the fishing industry in the UK was going to be much stronger. That is what we were promised, instead it's smaller.

"Brexit has done me no favours and it definitely hasn't benefitted my industry."

The new government is planning to renegotiate parts of the Brexit agreement.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The government is very clear that we want to look forward, not backwards, to make Brexit work for the British people. That is why we are resetting our relationship to strengthen ties, deliver growth and security for the UK."

'It has been a success for me'

Factory owner Rachael Waring has no regrets about voting for Brexit

Rachael Waring is the co-owner of Warings Furniture, which makes products for the hospitality trade and employs about 60 people in Larling.

After the referendum she regularly appeared in the media speaking of her belief that Brexit would be a success.

"It has been a success for both me as a citizen and definitely for my company," she says.

"I am happy that the Treasury has more money to play with because we have needed that additional money as a country, especially when Covid came around the corner, and for the country I think it is good for us to be in charge of our own destiny and more of a global player."

She says before Brexit her company supplied several major chains that also had contracts with European companies.

"Now we have sole supply. I think people have been worried about the prospect of importing and have stuck with UK companies," she says.

"We have had additional turnover as a result of that. That is a genuine Brexit benefit."

The firm has also benefitted from a stable exchange rate with the Euro, which she puts down to Britain having left the EU.

She admits there is more paperwork, but says it is not difficult to complete. The only additional fee is for customs clearance when she imports goods, which she says is "negligible" as it is charged per truck or trailer.

She accepts smaller businesses may struggle with the extra costs and paperwork, but says "companies face hurdles every day of the year and are used to looking for ways over them".

"At the time of the vote I think people were genuinely afraid that Kent would become a car park, that the pound would crash and we wouldn't get a free trade deal. But none of those things came to pass."