The company has invested £40,000 in a purpose-built boat with digital and satellite facilities to take photographers and press out to view yachting events. He says the next few months will be crucial. He is bidding to provide publicity work for round-the-world yacht races.

"I'm setting up in a market which will be one of the first areas to be affected by recession. My company relies on the economy being strong; cutting back on sponsorship would be one of the first things companies would do in a slowdown," he said.

That is why he was glad to see the Budget provide help for business and measures to ensure the health of the economy. He welcomed the government's plans to help small businesses.

He is more confident now about the outlook for the economy than three months ago. He would like to take on several employees if he wins a big contract, but just now, uses freelance workers.

"I want to minimise overheads until I have an idea where it's going. By the end of August I'd hope to be expanding," he said. By the end of the year, he hopes to have five full-time employees and aims eventually to run a small fleet of publicity boats.

Mr Brown's decision to allow small businesses to write off 40 per cent of their investments in their first year will encourage him to invest more this year.

One of Mr Falle's main concerns is any change to diesel taxes. "There is no duty on marine diesel right now, but if it were put up to the same price as petrol, that would triple our fuel bills." He invested an extra £5,000 in his press boat's engine to ensure it ran on marine diesel. "That would be wasted if they start phasing tax in."

The government's decision to consult industry about an energy levy to be imposed in 2001 was "rather worrying".

Mr Falle draws a salary of £25,000 from the business. He pays £100 a month into a personal pension plan and would like to increase that to £300, but would not be able to claim tax relief for it. The mortgage on the £250,000 loft is based on his wife's salary as surveyor.