Brexit

1. “One, two… Three… Four. Four hundred thousand pounds. Oh, Lord…” I sighed bitterly, having finished checking the bills. 

2. The red tape and the frustration it brought became [k4: wrong tense—present perfect needed for ongoing relevance] has become a routine for me lately, and it’s [k1: no short forms in an academic formal story unless specified in the task!] it is Brexit that is behind it. / Frustrating red tape has become my new normal, and Brexit is to blame.

3. Only some years ago, my kitchen utensils business was flourishing all around Europe. / It was only a few years ago that my kitchen utensils business thrived across Europe.

4. Even the Michelin star owners used to buy my products [k1: style—too informal] purchased my products, to say nothing of thousands of cooking amateurs [k1: style—use "let alone"] let alone thousands of cooking amateurs across the continent. / Even Michelin-star chefs purchased my products, let alone countless amateur cooks across Europe.

5. However, it seems that it wasn’t destined to last long [k1: style—overly dramatic] didn’t last long. / However, this success was short-lived.

6. After Brexit, the prices soared roughly. The transportation costs and export duties together could’ve make [k4: wrong verb form—past participle needed] could have made us go bankrupt if we decided to go on running our business in Europe. / After Brexit, rising transportation costs and export duties almost pushed us into bankruptcy.

7. Additionally, the paperwork and the customs’ verification would’ve made [k3: awkward wording] made the trade awfully inefficient. / Moreover, endless paperwork and customs checks rendered trade unbearably inefficient.

8. Therefore, we came to the decision to quit. / Ultimately, we decided to close our operations.

9. Oh, how sorrowful was I to betray (it’s exactly what it felt like) [k2: incoherent structure] I felt betraying my loyal clients in Europe... Let alone the fact that I lost almost three quarters of my audience! / It broke my heart to abandon my loyal clients in Europe, not to mention losing nearly three-quarters of my audience.

10. Needless to say, the financial losses were terrifying as well. / The financial losses, needless to say, were staggering.

11. I couldn’t [k1: no short forms in an academic formal story unless specified in the task!] could not help but remembered [k4: wrong verb form—base form needed] remember the day of Brexit Referendum: how desperately I voted for staying in the European Union to save my business… / I could not help but recall the day of the Brexit referendum, when I voted desperately to protect my business.

12. After all, I couldn’t [k1: no short forms in an academic formal story unless specified in the task!] could not allow myself to grief [k4: wrong word—verb needed] grieve anymore. / After all, I could not afford to grieve any longer.

13. There was no use crying over the spilt milk [k3: idiom—wrong word choice] spilled milk: I had to keep working. / There was no use lamenting over spilled milk; I had to move forward.

14. Nowadays I I’m [k1: no short forms in an academic formal story unless specified in the task!] am trying hard to promote my products across my homeland and, maybe, even raise more interest in cooking among fellow countrymen! / Today, I am working hard to promote my products within my homeland while inspiring my fellow countrymen to embrace cooking.

15. ___[k2: Linking phrase needed!] I I’m [k1: no short forms in an academic formal story unless specified in the task!] am here for a fresh start and, even facing severe hardships, I I’m [k1: no short forms in an academic formal story unless specified in the task!] am learning to let bygones be bygones [k1: style—too informal] move on from the past. / All in all, I am determined to begin anew, overcoming hardships and leaving the past behind.