In the shadow of Piccadilly station, dozens of people work at some of the city's most unique businesses. Craft brewers, vintage retailers and specialist food stockists are among those based in the industrial pocket of central Manchester.
"But I don't want that to be at a cost to the business, it needs to be balanced somewhere else." The business has taken on another unit at Piccadilly Trading Estate and has been looking to expand. "As a smaller business I feel there should be more incentive to hire. We're quite a young workforce, most of our staff. I just think it would be nice to have some help - whether it's a grant, or a bit of help with national insurance.
"We keep our prices really low, we can't put our prices up because it's aimed at students, we wouldn't want to do that. We are getting as many people through the door as before, but the average sale price is lower. We're not getting the same cash into the business." "I go out to eat in restaurants, I find the prices can be quite high. I've eaten out recently and been astounded by how expensive it can be - but I get it, I get why. A lot of our customers are looking at ways to save, to keep prices low, so they don't have to put them up."
Bob says small businesses have been 'caught up' - but the government has been dealt a difficult hand. "Do we boost the economy by not paying nurses, by not paying lower paid workers more?" he said. But he is more focused on the bigger picture. "Our economy has become very unattractive to a new generation of younger people," said Paul.