Rachel Reeves tax blamed as Meghan Markle’s ‘favourite baker’ resorts to crowdfunding | Royal | News

Meghan Markle’s favourite baker is mulling crowdfunding in a bid to ease the strain of Rachel Reeves’ business rates rise. Violet Cakes bakery owner Claire Ptak made Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding cake and her bakes have featured in the pages of Vogue magazine. She has had cookbooks published, including The Home Made Sweet Shop and The Violet Bakery.

Despite the success, Chancellor Rachel Reeves‘ rates review and National Insurance hike have taken their toll on Ms Ptak’s business, which employs 20 people in Dalston, east London. In an Instagram post, Ms Ptak wrote: “Considering crowd-funding as well as investment. Any thoughts? Would you support a crowd-funding campaign?”

Ms Ptak built her business from scratch, cooking at home and selling her cakes from a stall in London’s Broadway Market from 2005. The scent of Violet Cakes’ freshly baked cinnamon buns, chocolate brownies, cookies and scones has been drawing customers to her Dalston premises since 2010.

But the US-born businesswoman said the National Insurance rise was killing her business as it amounted to an extra £90,000 per year. Ms Ptak said where wages used to be up to 38% of her business’s costs, they now account for 50%.

The baker told The Times: “I used to think crowdfunding was asking your customers to give you more money, but it’s actually about customers supporting a business that they want to be there.”

Ms Ptak was asked to bake the Sussexes’ wedding cake after she gained Meghan‘s attention following publication of The Violet Bakery, according to the same publication.

She explained how six cakes were made as options for the wedding, including a rhubarb cake, chocolate salted caramel cake and a fruitcake.

The baker revealed that it was Prince Harry who rejected this last, saying the couple were “absolutely not” having a fruitcake.

Harry and Meghan broke with royal tradition by not opting for a fruitcake for their wedding. Instead they selected a lemon and elderflower creation covered in buttercream icing and decorated with fresh flowers. It took six bakers five days to get the cake ready for the Sussexes’ big day.

Ms Ptak said while her bakery remains successful, with a loyal customer base and commissions from celebrities, it is not immune to the challenges businesses are facing at the moment.

Firms across the UK have been sounding alarm bells over rising costs resulting from Government policies.

Curry’s, JD Wetherspoon and Morrisons are among those which have warned surging costs, including wages, business rates and energy, have taken their toll.

The Chancellor has insisted businesses are feeling “optimistic”. Speaking at Davos, Ms Reeves said: “We have the right plan, for our economy, for our country to bring that growth and prosperity in all parts of the country that we need.”