Simon Jones: The blame game

More than two months after the UK left the European Union, the impact of Brexit on small businesses is still coming out in the wash. But while it hasn’t been the catastrophe that was predicted and Kent hasn’t become a republic, new layers of unexpected red tape and regulation for export are already swallowing up companies.

For optical practices, most of the questions have revolved around receiving additional charges from logistics firms when purchasing products – frames especially. Many believe the charges relate to new duties, additional VAT or miscellaneous handling fees, and sadly seem to be pointing the finger at the European eyewear manufacturers, which seems a bit arrogant to me, given it was the UK that elected to leave the EU.