Struggling to Survive: Local Coffee Shop Faces Closure Over Soaring Business Rates

26 tax year. This sharp increase has caused significant stress, impacting his mental health, making him feel overwhelmed and unable to fully engage in his passion for serving the community.

Ingleton emphasized the unsustainable nature of these costs in relation to his prices, mentioning that despite charging £3.40 for a coffee, the operational expenses mount quickly, leaving little room for profit after paying wages, rent, and utility bills. He expressed a desperate need for support from East Staffordshire Borough Council, criticizing the council’s claim that they are supporting small businesses.

The council defended the increases by pointing to previous years when the government provided Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief, which was set at 75% of business rates. However, for the upcoming tax year, this relief has been drastically cut to 40%. Ingleton’s plea for help sheds light on the ongoing struggles faced by small businesses amid rising costs, highlighting the need for community support and action against policies that threaten their sustainability. Fueled Coffee not only represents a business but also a key part of the local community, and its potential closure would resonate beyond just economic factors. A coffee shop owner in Uttoxeter, Joe Ingleton, is facing the grim possibility of closure due to dramatically increased business rates. Ingleton, who has passionately managed Fueled Coffee for four years, revealed that his business rates have more than doubled, escalating from £3,243 to a staggering £7,784 for the 2025