Marvin Shalders has a few different business interests – property development, a metal recycling company and running the pub The Cock in Dereham, where he was watching the Budget with the others.

He observed the chancellor’s speech closely, as the Treasury’s plans could “have a huge effect on what I do in the future”.

Mr Shalders said the increase in National Insurance contributions for businesses and rise in the minimum wage would cost him.

Yet he said he felt better about the Budget than he expected: “I’ll be totally honest I was expecting the worst.

“To be honest, they’ve done the working man good in a lot of ways.”