Apprentice star tells PM why pie shop is closing

A pie shop owner who starred in The Apprentice has told Prime Minister Andy Burnham he is closing one of his three shops because of rising business costs.

In a social media post directed at the prime minister, Paul Bowen, who owns Bowen Pies in Chorley, Lancashire, said the increase in employers' National Insurance was "the tipping edge" to him shutting the shop on Market Street, despite it taking £100,000 a year.

"We were already trying to cover everything else going up. Then the government made it more expensive to employ people," he wrote.

In response, Burnham said: "I am listening and I'm sorry it has got to the point that you need to close your doors."

'Let us grow'

Bowen, who took part in The Apprentice in 2024, said: "Look around Chorley or your home town. How many shops have "To Let" signs in the windows?"

"Years ago, this shop would tick over and pay its way. Now, with employer's National Insurance, energy bills, business rates, wages and everything else, there just isn't enough left."

On energy prices, he asked Burnham: "What are you actually doing to bring those down?".

He also asked the government to "scrap or significantly reduce employer's National Insurance for small businesses, reduce business rates, ease the VAT burden and get business energy costs down".

"Let us grow. Let us take people on. Let us have something left to put back into the business," he said.

Burnham replied: "You're right that what you are seeing in Chorley is happening across the country."

He added: "Empty shops, family businesses closing, and buildings that have been left neglected for too long.

"We've all walked past them and thought: 'Someone should do something about that.'

"That's why, yesterday, I announced that we're investing £210 million to help bring neglected high street buildings back into use - turning empty spaces into community hubs, health centres, shared workspaces, cafés and the local services people actually want to see."

He added: "I know people don't measure growth on a spreadsheet, they measure it on their high street.