Port House Cafe

21/05/2026

Morning good folks
And I do mean ‘good’ folks. The others can scroll on.
I’m sat in hospital with Liz, mind racing, not really slept since Sunday night and I thought I’d have a wee rant about PRESSURE to follow up the Immigration post. You would think that pressure is enough! But nae….read on please.

Pressure on small business.

We opened in May 2022 with the following:-
Minimum Wage - £9.81
Energy Direct Debit -£127/month
No VAT - start up business below VAT threshold.

Move to April 2026 and it’s:-
Minimum wage - £12.71 (up 30%)
Energy Direct debit - £1200/month approx (up 1000%)
VAT at 20% of TURNOVER, a tax on what YOU spend in the cafe, not on our profit

I’m using some examples, there are more, but I want to keep it simple because FB won’t let me type in crayons!!

Wages: you say ‘great’ we want more!
But what does that mean. One of a business’s biggest overheads is the wage bill. When wages go up - so do prices!!
The mantra “putting more money in people’s pockets” now starts to fade a bit, sure you’re paid more, but your weekly shop now costs more - no real gain!
Still with me? And following? Good. Now where did the tax threshold go? Nowhere! It stayed the same. So….
You have more money
Your weekly shop costs more
But now you’re likely to be paying more tax!!
The result = less money in your pocket!!!
Who won then = the tax man!
Crafty eh? SPIN to win your votes for their gain.

Energy: They say this is a global problem. It’s not! A close friend of ours in the USA has seen a 20% rise in the same time frame.
Other friends around the world report similar.
Sure Russia Invaded Ukraine, so what? There is, or should be, our own North Sea Oil. But “the system” puts in into a global cost price.
So we pay more, while the energy producers show massive profits.
Who wins? The tax man!! You pay more tax on your bill because your bills are higher.
The energy companies also pay much more tax on much higher profits.
Moving on to the Gulf and Hormuz thanks to “tRump”
As soon as that happened, massive pipelines started pumping Gulf oil across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea. Another massive pipeline sent Gulf oil to Europe through Turkey. The Straights of Hormuz problem is now less relevant - but it did provide an opportunity for “The System” to take more of your money!
And, therefore, more tax from it too!

Sticking with Tax. And this one really pi**es me off! And most people don’t see this. “Y’all ready for this” (another tune in there)
Scotland passed a law last year requiring 100% of tips paid on Credit Card to be paid to staff. The owner of a business cannot, by law, take a cut
Great! I hear you cry. Well, read on…….
If you tip with a card, the total value of spend (including the tip) goes through the till so that the numbers balance. That total value is part of TURNOVER now! And turnover is subject to a 20% Tax (VAT) which the business owner must pay - that is why ‘some’ owners take a 20% cut of your tips to cover their extra TAX
We can’t do that now - so WE pay 20% of YOUR tips to ……The TAXMAN!
Not done yet - it gets better! Ready??

Question! How does an owner prove they have given 100% of the tips to their staff?
Answer! It gets added to the staffs HMRC payroll…..have you clicked? THAT makes the tip taxable.
So……
HMRC have now craftily collected 2 taxes, from 2 different people, relating to ONE tip!!!
If we did that - it would be theft, or tax fraud!
SPIN!! A law passed which looks great to the worker, and wins votes. But the thinker sees it different.
I can of course separate the tip from the purchase to avoid that, but due to the complications of doing so, my accounting people will charge me approx £45/hour to do so - more expensive than the original LEGAL THEFT!!
YOU can stop this legal theft by carrying cash and tipping in cash. As yet they don’t have a camera counting the cash going into my tip pot. Though I am supposed to prove 100% of that goes to our guys too…. ?????
IT DOES!! - YOU CAN ASK THEM. But I don’t get taxed on their “small thank you” from you.

What do we get for all these crafty extra taxes
Roads? No there’s another tax for that, and they’re crumbling anyway.
Education? Maybe, of sorts, in some areas - but it ain’t what it used to be. Read Wray Thompson latest posts.
Transport? Hmmmm, not really, or infrequent!
Defence??? 😂😂In tatters. I’ve heard the British Army has funds to defend us for about 1 day (not verified)
Security? 😂😂Bobbies are far too busy sat on their arse doing paperwork or pointing cameras at a naughty motorists - (which generates more tax revenue called “fines”.
Welfare? Lots of that for the “can’t be arsed’s”
But it certainly doesn’t go where it should.
Health Services??? Hmm, maybe. If there’s an appointment or a bed. I think I covered the Ambulance service in another post.

So WTF??
Think people, look at what their SPIN actually means for those who fund their salaries (pretty good ones too) look at stuff critically! Don’t just accept what you read or hear.
THEY, THE MAN, BIG BROTHER, is taking us all for MUGS.
WE can stop them!!! It’s called free speech and in a ‘Democratic Society’ (hmm??) it is legal.

Thanks for reading
Gareth and Liz (just)
Keep sharing, sharing. Both info and a bit of love!

Ta ta for now x

P.S. we do make a small profit, which we can live off. But that gets….you guessed it ……….
TAXED!!!!

18/05/2026

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS COMMENTED AND REACHED OUT ABOUT OUR IMMIGRATION SITUATION POST.
The post has had almost 100,000 views across t’internet.
Seamus Logan - MP has also reached out to us and asked us to contact him directly, thanks Seamus.
He also tried to help out when the last application stage required us to appeal the refusal - we did c**k up a bit! But it was not intentional and certainly not designed to evade the proper authorities and requirements. We always follow rules re borders and immigration. In our yacht career we had a reputation for doing so, and it served us well with various authorities on many occasions. Including some very welcoming Islamic nations by the way! Just sayin’!
We have always paid our own way, in many countries, the last time I claimed a ‘benefit’ was “jobseekers allowance” here in GB, if any one remembers that, it was so long ago.
I received £36/week for 6 weeks - that’s it

We love you all and are genuinely humbled by your supportive comments.

REMEMBER immigration is a good thing, when it’s done right. The import of skills, and a diverse population is good for humanity in general. It also helps to avoid the pitfalls of in-breeding! Trust me! Just look at the health issues that many “Pedigree” dogs have, including our own ‘Peppa’.
So I will sign off with
“DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE! DON’T, DON’T, DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE”
(You could write a song about that🤪)
Those in power, or craving power! [Generally] SPIN everything for their own gain. There are exceptions!

Bye for now, and thanks for reading
Gareth and Liz (and Peppa)

15/05/2026

Following my last post.
Facebook is now telling me I can join……..
Wait for it ……………
“Nigel Farage - Britain needs reform” page.
WT actual F???
These f*****s are instrumental in the whole Brexit, anti immigration mindset in the first place. They are gaining ground by creating the hatred.
What the F are these people (algorithms) thinking? Or not thinking?
I have 3 words.
“LEST WE FORGET”

PS. It’s not Farage (Faraaaj) it’s Farage (Faridge) ffs
He told us it’s the same pronunciation as where you park your car.
Well Nigey, I grew up in a world where if you were fortunate enough to have secure parking for your car, it was pronounced Garidge. Ok??
If you want to use the French pronunciation then you really shouldn’t have campaigned so hard to be disconnected from them.
You utter F***wit!!!!

15/05/2026

Hello all.
I feel I need to set the record straight. If you care about your country then keep reading.

Some of you will have heard that The Port House Cafe is for sale. You have heard right.
Why?
Well, hospitality is tough for sure, small independent hospitality is tougher!
However, we have adapted, we have changed our menu to massively reduce our energy consumption and we can run with less staff than we did.
It is working, we are profitable and we are busy - we still need to be mind!
SO… down to it! WHY are we selling?
You may know Liz is from the USA and is required to apply at various points over 10 years to extend her stay.
Our Home Office requires her sponsor, me (the cafe) to have a minimum income. We have achieved that so far, only just!
The Anti Immigrant mentality we currently experience has more than DOUBLED the income required. Fair enough you say. Well…

The Port House may well achieve the new level THIS year. But it did not for the last year or so due to massive cost hikes since the new government came in.
The new requirement is measured as an AVERAGE over 2 1/2 years. That means that from now until the visa must be extended we MUST earn almost TRIPLE the legally required income whilst costs and taxes continue to rise.
THIS IS SIMPLY NOT POSSIBLE.
The only way I can legally keep my wife in the UK is by showing the Home Office a very large savings bank account - property assets don’t count!!!
That is where the sale comes in. The capital in our business should be sufficient once realised and banked.

That money must have been in the bank at least 6 months prior to applying for the visa extension. NOT POSSIBLE TO USE A SHORT TERM LOAN.
So we must sell by next April in order to be allowed to remain here. Otherwise her visa will be refused.
ITS AS SIMPLE AS THAT!
We do not need the level of income they insist on. We have never needed benefits to live here (which is the claimed reason for the rules)
We have worked harder than most would tolerate in order to independently maintain a life here as a married couple who have been together for more than 20 years. We have paid around £100,000 in VAT, we employ local folk, we have paid £100,000+ into local wages
But we have been squeezed and squeezed out of a legal right to remain here as a couple.

In summary, at this point there is no choice for us. I urge you to look more deeply into policies designed to win votes, without caring about small independent folk providing employment for your kids, before believing their spin!!

Thank you for reading
Gareth and Liz

13/05/2026

Worth a read for anyone wondering why rural communities are going to run out of jobs, and why our city Centers are largely devoid of independent businesses

An open letter to the Scottish and UK Government from a small independent restaurant owner

I don’t usually write posts like this, but I feel I need to say something — not just for Anderson’s, but for small hospitality businesses across Scotland and the UK.

We are a small, family-run independent restaurant in the Highlands. We employ local people, train young staff, support suppliers, welcome visitors, serve our community, and try our best to keep going through the highs and lows of a seasonal rural business.

But the truth is, hospitality is being squeezed from every direction.

Food costs have risen.
Wages have risen.
Energy costs have risen.
Insurance, repairs, licences, waste, rent, card fees, software fees, accountancy fees — everything has gone up.
VAT takes a huge chunk of every sale.
PAYE and employer costs keep climbing.
And the quiet months are becoming harder and harder to survive.

People see a busy Saturday night and think, “They must be doing well.”

But what they don’t see is what sits behind that. The tax bills. The supplier bills. The loan repayments. The winter losses. The overdraft. The sleepless nights. The pressure of keeping staff employed when the numbers barely work.

And behind the business is a family.

Like so many small business owners, we are trying to support a young family at the same time. Household costs have risen too — food, fuel, mortgage/rent, electricity, clothes, school costs, everything. We are working more hours, taking more stress, carrying more risk, and often earning less than the people we employ.

We are not working harder to thrive anymore.

We are working harder just to survive.

That cannot be right.

Small hospitality businesses are not asking for special treatment so we can make huge profits. We are asking for a fair chance to keep our doors open.

We need proper help.

We need VAT reform for hospitality.
We need tax breaks for small independent businesses.
We need business rates support.
We need help with employer costs.
We need energy support.
We need government to understand that rural, seasonal hospitality cannot be treated the same as large national chains.

Restaurants, cafés, pubs and takeaways are not just places to eat. They are employers. They are training grounds for young people. They support local suppliers. They bring visitors into villages and towns. They create community. They give places their character.

But if things continue as they are, there will be none of us left.

Every time a small restaurant closes, a community loses more than a business. It loses jobs, opportunity, gathering places, tourism, supplier income and local identity.

We love what we do. We love feeding people. We love welcoming locals and visitors. We love being part of Boat of Garten and the wider Cairngorms community.

But love does not pay VAT.
Love does not pay wages.
Love does not pay energy bills.
Love does not keep a roof over a family’s head.

Small hospitality businesses are dying in plain sight.

Please listen. Please act. Please help before it is too late.

Steve Anderson
Anderson’s Restaurant
Boat of Garten

Inspired by John Mountain of FYRE Restaurant, because whether people agree with his delivery or not, he is highlighting something very real.

Small independent hospitality businesses are struggling to survive under the weight of VAT, rising costs, wages, energy, card fees and endless pressure.

This is not just one restaurant. This is an industry-wide crisis.

Hospitality needs support now, before there are none of us left.

MacDonald MP
Government
Government
Treasury
Highland Council
Forbes MSP
Swinney
Reeves
Starmer
Sarwar

Hospitality Group
of Small Businesses - FSB
Restaurant By Chef John Mountain

05/05/2026

Back open this week.
Wednesday to Sunday
10am to 4 pm.
Breakfast 10-12 Lunch 12 - 3pm
The finest coffees teas and cakes all day
The warmest welcome around
Gareth, Liz and the crew

01/05/2026

VERY VERY LAST MINUTE!
We were opening today (Friday 1st) with Super Human Sammy.
Sammy has been struck down by sickness overnight!
I simply cannot ask her to work at all. Nevermind doing 2 peoples work.
She is too valuable to me.
So I’m sorry to say we are CLOSED UNTIL WEDNESDAY 6th MAY.
Our sincere apologies 1 young new hire cannot do it all.
I’ll have tribunals on my back
Go and enjoy a beach somewhere, there are lots of fine establishments around to get your coffee fix.
Coffee at the Kings
Yellow Deli Cullen
Aspire Portsoy
Portsoy Ice cream
And more.
Have a great Bank holiday weekend
See you next week

30/04/2026

STOP PRESS - LATE NOTICE!!
FRIDAY 1st, SATURDAY 2nd and SUNDAY 3rd
TEMP CHANGES TO OPERATIONS

FRI: No kitchen - coffee shop only with our usual cakes and scones. 10am to 3pm only
There will be soup and Seafood chowder for something more filling - until it’s gone.
Be Patient! Sammy will be doing both drinks out front and soup from kitchen because she is Super Human Sammy!!!!

SAT + SUN CLOSED!
SORRY, I HAVE BEEN CALLED AWAY and I can’t find available cover
THIS IS UNAVOIDABLE - we would be open if we could. I’ve been trying to find a way for the last 12 hours, I can’t! Please understand.
I’m sure you can all survive 1 weekend without your favourite quirky coffee corner.
See you next week.