United Trust Bank has launched a range of Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) facilities designed to assist a wide range of SMEs which have been adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. CBILS facilities are available for the refinance of existing assets and the acquisition of new and pre-owned assets via hire purchase and finance […]
The Covid-19 pandemic has created “an economic crisis like no other”, according to the latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) conducted by Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. The GM Index, which is a combination of seven key QES measures, is at its lowest ever level (-31.7 compared with 31.9 in the first quarter of this year) […]
A new study by financial analysts AskTraders.com has revealed consumer attitudes to cash as British businesses brace for the post-Covid “new normal”. Non-essential retailers and hospitality businesses will reopen following the coronavirus lockdown on the 4th July. According to the study: 75% of consumers believe using cash leaves them vulnerable to germs and infection 63% […]
Organisations have surprised themselves by the speed with which they are responding to the crisis. Pecan research found three-quarters (75%) of leaders had seen a positive impact on their working practices. Ways of working that they had attempted to introduce into their culture for years, such as flexible-working, product innovation and agility, have suddenly got […]
A new study from the UK’s leading independent job board, CV-Library, reveals that salary (66.7%), location (53.3%) and flexible working hours (31.1%) are the most important factors that finance professionals are looking for in a new job right now. The study surveyed 1,100 professionals and asked them which of the following factors did they value […]
A blueprint to kickstart the West Midlands economy and create long-term prosperity for the region and wider UK is today being put to government. With research suggesting the region could be hit harder than most by the Covid-19 lockdown, Kickstarting the West Midlands Economy: Our Investment Case to government sets out the immediate actions needed […]
Banking Competition Remedies Ltd (BCR), the independent body established to implement the £775m Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) State Aid Alternative Remedies Package (ARP), today issues an update on ISS. Achievements of ISS ISS has already made a difference in doubling the SME switching rate of CASS: as at the end of May 2020, 34,537 […]
Covering the week 15 – 21 June 2020 UK footfall decreased 57.2% year on year during the first week of reopening*. This was a slight improvement on the previous week at 76.2%. Footfall on high streets declined by 61.0% year on year. This was an improvement on a decline of 74.0% the previous week. High […]
Paul Uppal, the government’s small firms’ commissioner from 2017 to 2019, who was credited with making giant strides towards ensuring fair payment practices for small businesses and supporting them in resolving payment disputes with larger firms, has joined the board of the Forum of Private Business as a non-executive director. With experience from being a […]
A Newport business which helped set up pop-up Tesco stores around NHS Nightingale hospitals is preparing to dial up support for retailers across the UK with the support of Lloyds Bank. Family-run Retail Merchandising Services has secured a £700k Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan via the lender that will ease any cashflow issues faced by the […]
