FSB calls for govt to bridge 18-day gap between Covid support and full reopening June 28, 2021 The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has made a last urgent appeal to the government to help small firms by bridging the gap between the end of Covid financial support this Thursday and the July 19 full reopening. Full furlough, business rates exemptions and deferred VAT payments will all end on Thursday July 1, eighteen [...]
Small businesses battered by Covid restrictions see return to pre-pandemic sales June 24, 2021 Small businesses are seeing their sales slowly creep back toward pre-Covid levels, but sectors such as hospitality and arts and recreation still have a way to go. An analysis of the records of hundreds of thousands of companies shows that the health of small businesses has remained steady. However, despite the easing of lockdown restrictions [...]
Close to home: Demand for city centre offices drops as hybrid working picks up June 16, 2021 Suburban office markets outperformed city centres for the first time in ten years, with six out of nine major cities seeing a drop in workstation rates. Research published today found demand was driven by workers rejecting both working from home and returning to crowded cities. The shift to smaller towns was also influenced by companies [...]
SMEs worried about access to finance as late payments rise, study shows June 16, 2021 SME bosses are concerned that access to finance will become harder over the next three years as they grapple with the late payment of invoices, according to new research. A study by MBH Corporation found that 40 per cent of SMEs believe applying for funding will become more difficult, while just 10 per cent expect [...]
Dead centre of town: City looks to bring new life to cemetery cafe June 14, 2021 Fancy a thriller of a business opportunity? The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium is looking for a new proprietor to refurbish and operate its on-site café for visitors and mourners. With the current five-year lease coming to an end, the City of London Cooperation is accepting new proposals for the Gatehouse Cafe at the [...]
4 in 10 small businesses will struggle to pay Covid loan repayments, research shows June 7, 2021 Nearly 40 per cent of small businesses could be at risk of closure when repayments of the government’s Bounce Back Loan Scheme start this month. Of the businesses surveyed by Mazuma Accountants, 39 per cent said they will struggle to meet payments, while more than a quarter are downbeat about how their firm will fare [...]
eBay moves into finance to help SMEs navigate Covid cashflow crisis May 12, 2021 eBay UK has today announced a new finance programme to help small businesses rebuild as startups across the country face a Covid-driven cashflow crunch. Capital for eBay Business Sellers (CEBS) will offer financing products to support the 300,000 SMEs that sell through the platform to 29m active monthly buyers. The launch follows new research released [...]
Venture capital trusts fundraised £685m last year in bid to support small businesses April 8, 2021 Venture capital trusts (VCTs) managed to bolster fundraising by 11 per cent last year, raising £685m in funds for small businesses. The fundraising, only six per cent below pre-pandemic levels, is set to give some companies some breathing room after a fiscally tough year. “It’s really positive that during the pandemic 11 per cent more [...]
HSBC launches £15bn lending fund for British SMEs March 10, 2021 HSBC has today launched a new £15bn fund to help UK SMEs through the economic recovery. The fund, which includes over £10bn of regionally focussed allocations, seeks to move away from the “traditional” London focus and drive growth in regions across the country. “The past 12 months have highlighted the challenges many small businesses face. [...]
Google launches $2m fund to help bridge funding gap for Black tech founders March 2, 2021 Google For Start Ups launches fund to tackle lack of black talent in tech