
An opportunity has arisen for Cornwall Council to bid for a Tier 3 agreement which, if successful, could lead to significant benefits for the county by maximising decision making and investment in Cornwall. For a fuller picture of this topic please read the news bulletin below which was issued today by Insider Media.
Roger Mundy, Managing Director, Beardsley Theobalds, 5th April 2022
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Funding from Innovate UK will be available to SMEs over the next 3 years and projects focussed on the most important areas of the future economy (as sent out in the Innovate UK Plan for Action) will be prioritised. Businesses with late-stage projects can apply for loans between £100,000 and £2m, with flexible repayment terms to help secure their future growth and commercial success. Please read t…

According to British Business Bank’s Small Business Finance Markets 2021/22 some £360m of private equity investments were made in small businesses in the South West during the first three quarters of 2021 – a 145% increase on the same period of the previous year and well in excess of the £185m invested during the whole of 2020. This extends the recent improving investment trend in the South West …

In line with record levels of M & A deals across the South West during 2021 – up by 33% on the previous year and with values also rocketing from £10.4bn to £31.4bn (according to Experian’s Market 2022 Q1 review) – the number of business transfers towards the lower end of the SME sector also rose in terms of both volume and value. This demonstrates that investor confidence has clearly returned – s…

The latest monthly survey of UK business owners conducted by Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking’s ‘Business Barometer’ revealed a further rise in business confidence in the South West. For the fuller picture please read the bulletin below which was issued today by Insider Media.
Roger Mundy, Managing Director, Beardsley Theobalds, 28th February 2022
South West Confidence Continues to Ris…

NatWest South West Business Activity Index revealed a continuing increase in output expansion during January, following an 11th successive monthly increase in new orders. Business Confidence regarding the one-year outlook for output across the South West also improved in January. For more details relating to this subject please read the bulletin below which was issued by Insider Media today.
Rog…

Crowe’s Manufacturing Outlook Report 2021/22 indicates significant positivity within the sector, with growth expectations markedly more encouraging than has been the case in recent years. This suggests that manufacturers may be on the threshold of a significant improvement in their fortunes and with the right support and a fair wind, augers well for their long-term future. For the full story plea…

EY’s latest Regional Economic Forecast shows that the South West is set to be one of only two UK regions forecast to close the economic gap to London by 2025. It is expected to be 9% larger in 3 years’ time than it was in 2019. For the full picture please read the news bulletin below issued by Insider Media today.
Roger Mundy, Managing Director, Beardsley Theobalds, 1st February 2022
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£140m of asset-based new lending to British businesses during the last 12 months saw Independent Growth Finance (IGF) increase its client volume by 88% last year. Despite the many and varied problems that beset businesses throughout 2021, this funding take-up clearly demonstrates a certain degree of confidence and ambition among owners in the SME/middle market sector as they invest in order to gr…

According to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, a survey of companies in the South West region reported higher confidence in their business prospects compared with the previous month. For the full picture on this subject please read the news bulletin below which was issued by Insider Media Ltd. today.
Roger Mundy, Managing Director, Beardsley Theobalds, 22nd Decem…

Western Gateway is planning to focus on the following four matters during the coming year:-
- investigating the potential future for tidal energy in the Severn Estuary
- improving high-speed connectivity throughout the region by enhancing the Great Western Mainline
- using research and academic assets in the area to support manufacturing and renewable energy projects
- marketing the Western Gat…

Barclays Corporate Banking’s ‘The Export Dividend’ indicates that, following Brexit, 80% of South West manufacturing firms with 10 or more employees are currently exporting and that a further 10% are targeting overseas sales in 2022.
For the fuller picture, please read the bulletin below which was issued by Insider News Media today.
Roger Mundy, Managing Director, Beardsley Theobalds, 10th …

For the first time since it was established in 1998, Mount Batten Boathouse has been brought to market and is offered for sale, through specialist business transfer agents Beardsley Theobalds, to enable the husband and wife owners to retire.
This is a very well known and popular business which benefits greatly by having an excellent trading location within Plymouth Yacht Haven – a marina offerin…

Business confidence in the South West continues to rise and is currently at a 3 year high – according to the latest (October 2021) Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. This comes on the back of steadily increasing business optimism throughout the year – something which has definitely permeated the business and corporate transfer market, where ever increasing buyer demand has le…

Despite continuing to experience supply chain and recruitment problems, SME manufacturers are continuing to bounce back from the pandemic as indicated in the latest Manufacturing Barometer which reports that 64% of companies surveyed expect their businesses to grow over the next 6 months whilst 52% plan to invest in capital equipment. For the complete picture please read the news bulletin below w…

A marked increase in business confidence among companies in the south west region of England was reported in a September survey conducted by Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking and highlighted in its latest Business Barometer. For more details please read the news bulletin below which was issued by Insider Media Ltd. today.
Roger Mundy, Managing Director, Beardsley Theobalds, 1st October 2021
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According to the latest quarterly CBI Industrial Trends Survey, output volumes grew at the joint-fastest rate on record during Q2 of 2021. Manufacturers are expecting output to grow at an even quicker pace in Q3 as they take advantage of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s new tax break – a 2-year super deduction allowing businesses to cut their taxes by 25% for every £1 they invest. Please see below more i…

According to the CBI’s latest survey report, the 3 months to June 2021 saw manufacturing output record the strongest quarterly growth since its surveys were first conduced in 1975. Given the fact that some companies are still facing difficulties with such as materials and staff shortages, and with many not yet performing at pre-Covid levels, this latest result must be viewed with a great deal of …

EY’s latest UK Attractiveness Survey discovered that the SouthWest procured Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for 32 projects compared with 30in the previous year. This rise of 6.7% was achieved whilst the UK as a wholesaw a decline of 12% - so, clearly a vote of confidence in the region’s diverseeconomy. For the fuller picture please read the bulletin below which was issuedby Insider New…

According to the EY ITEM Club’s Spring Forecast the UK’s economic growth prospects for 2021 have been significantly upgraded – with growth now predicted at 6.8% this year, compared with a forecast of 5.0% in January. This prediction clearly reflects the underlying strength of the economy and, in particular, just how well it has done during the latest Covid-19 related ‘lockdown’. Given the continu…

The Heart of the South West LEP has published its plan to help the region recover from the pandemic, incorporating the aim to ‘build back better’. The Build Back Better plan has been developed by the LEP in consultation with business, local authorities, universities and FE college partners. The plan highlights significant opportunities in the south west that should lead to the unlocking of invest…

According to the Lloyds Bank UK Recovery Tracker 78.6% of the UK’s sectors reported output growth in March – up from 42.9% (six of the 14 sectors) in February. This clearly reflects the accelerating rate of the UK recovery as the economy continues to open up following the latest ‘lockdown’ and provides genuine grounds for optimism as we venture into our post-Brexit future. For more details on thi…

With the announcement earlier this month that Plymouth and South Devon’s bid for Freeport status has proved successful, it is expected that this will attract major funding to the area and create up to 9,000 jobs over the next 10 years as well as 50 apprenticeships and 10 internships every year by 2027. Over 70 local businesses are expected to benefit from the scheme, which is forecast to draw in …

Confidence levels in businesses across the UK services and manufacturing sectors have now led to the highest expectations in the world according to an Accenture/IHS Markit Business Outlook report. To a major extent the relatively rapid rollout of anti Covid-19 vaccinations is behind this boost in business optimism and significant economic growth now appears to be on the horizon. For more details …