The uncertainty surrounding Brexit - when it will happen, or what leaving the European Union actually means, has been a matter of concern to many local residents and businesses already. The Ross Gazette has spoken to several businesses based in this area, who trade with Europe or rely on European workers, and asked a series of questions regarding their plans for Brexit.

Many said that they had been putting measures in place for the past two years to try to ensure that when Article 50 (the basic five-point plan which was included when the EU was formed to cover what would happen should any country wish to leave the European Union) is invoked, the procedure will be as painless as possible for their customers, suppliers and employees.

Talking to local business people, what is clear, above all else, is that they want to see decisions made and an end to this period of uncertainty.

Everyone in the UK eligible to vote had the opportunity to do so on June 23rd, 2016 and the result was that 51.9% of those who voted said that the United Kingdom should withdraw from the European Union, and the date was set for March 29th, 2019 at 11pm. There is an ongoing debate about leaving with a Withdrawal Agreement that has been ratified by both parties as an international treaty between the UK and the EU or leaving with no such treaty. On March 14th, 2019, the House of Commons voted by a majority of 211 votes for the Prime Minister, Theresa May, to ask the EU for such an extension of the period allowed for the negotiation. But as the Gazette went to press this is still being discussed.

Although there are large, vocal groups who believe that as the vote was so close there should be subsequent votes to see if people still agree, now they have had an opportunity to see more of the details.

But talking to businesses locally it seems clear that although the vote, leave or remain, was very close, the result should be dealt with as decisively as if it had been made by a much higher percentage on one side.

Peter James, of James Gourmet Coffee Co Ltd said: “The last two years of news have felt like a constant drone, with so much speculation about what might happen.“ And Darryl Hinksman, Head of Business Development at Weston Cider said: “I think like everyone else we would just like to see a conclusion and the end of this period of uncertainty.”

The rights and wrongs of the way the campaign was run on both sides, from promises made to predictions of problems, has to be put aside to deal with the reality of leaving.

Jo Hilditch, Managing Director of White Heron, said: “There are so many questions around Brexit and I am absolutely not qualified to answer them, none of us were, in the question we were asked in June 2016. But honestly it’s like walking out into the fog – it’s impossible to know where you are going when you can’t even see your feet and your guide dog has scampered off.”

Westons agreed that there may be changes ahead but they are in a more positive mood as they have put measures in place including staff training for the future after Brexit. Mr Hinksman said: “The vast majority of all our raw materials are purchased from within the UK. Apples obviously are our biggest purchase and they all come from within 50 miles of the Mill in Much Marcle. We do purchase some small amounts of specialist packaging materials from within Europe and we have already put measures in place to guarantee the supply of those materials just in case.”

But they sell in Europe and across the world. He added: “We have the required export registration to cover all potential outcomes and some of our staff have recently attended training courses with regard to completion of all possible export paperwork. We are pretty confident that we have done everything we can to mitigate the risk whatever the potential Brexit outcome would be.”

As well as trade and economic concerns a worry was also expressed that the whole Brexit process has increased tensions among ordinary working people.

Ian Gumm who runs In The Footsteps Battlefield Tours across Europe told the Gazette: “Whilst Brexit may be seen as desirable by some, there will be consequences for many, especially those of us who work directly in Europe.  There was already a degree of animosity from some European guides against UK guides working in their countries.  Brexit has fuelled these tensions to the point where there have been instances of UK guides being subjected to verbal abuse and told to go home and stop stealing their jobs.”See the full story in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette, or subscribe to our online edition here