Hitchin MP Bim Afolami has visited a renowned local business to hold a 'promising' meeting discussing the cost of living crisis.

Our town's Parliamentarian visited Fabio's Gelato, based in Hitchin's Market Place, as well as a store in Letchworth town centre, to discuss support for small businesses. 

Mr Afolami was there to listen to the local business owner share his experiences about the all-too real challenges facing independent endeavours in Hitchin including Fabio's - as reported previously by Hitchin Nub News here and here and to discuss how the Government could support them. 

Fabio's owner, Fabio Vincenti told Hitchin Nub News: "It was good to meet our local MP and talk about the cost of living crisis and the price of energy bills in particular - and how such rises impact local businesses such as ours.

"We have planned to have further meetings with Bim but if feels promising so far that he wants to take it further quite urgently for when the support ends in March."

Mr Afolami MP said, The Hitchin MP has been busy under the third PM in a matter of months, appearing during Rishi Sunak's first Prime Minister's Question Time in Parliament to quiz the Tory leader over protection for the countryside across North Herts.  

Mr Afolami - who vigorously supported PM Sunak's leadership bid - has been recently elected to Parliament's Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Select Committee, the powerful Parliamentary body which scrutinises the Government's energy and business policies.

"Fabio's Gelato are a fantastic example of the kind of local small businesses that residents tell me they value so much in Hitchin," Mr Afolami explained, adding: "It was a pleasure to meet their team and discuss the challenges they – like so many small businesses – are facing at the moment.

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"During the Covid pandemic, I worked closely with colleagues at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and the Treasury to deliver support for small businesses in Hitchin, including the discretionary grant programme.  

"I am keen to hear from as many local small businesses as possible to help to guide the work I am now doing to deliver further Government support.

"It is vitally important that the Government gets its package of support right to deliver for businesses in Hitchin and I will be working to ensure that local businesspeople get heard by ministers."