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…
According to Lloyds Business Barometer the government’s roadmap to reopening the economy has seen business confidence soar to the highest level since before ‘lockdown’. For more detail on this subject please read the article below which appeared in The Daily Telegraph today.
Roger Mundy, Managing Director, Beardsley Theobalds, 30th March 2021
Firms plan hiring spree as confide…
The latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Commercial Banking reports a rise of 14 points during March 2021 – the highest level for a whole year. The manufacturing and retail sectors recorded the highest confidence level at 25%, while services and construction rose to 11% and 12% respectively. For more information on this trend please read the bulletin below which was issued by Insider Media Ltd t…
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 …
HSBC UK has created a £1bn fund to help SMEs throughout the South West take advantage of new opportunities to grow their businesses. This provides small and medium size businesses in the westcountry with yet another funding facility to assist them with their regeneration and growth objectives following the successful rollout of anti Covid-19 vaccination programmes. For further details regarding t…
A survey, conducted by Barclays Corporate Banking, of over 10,000 consumers in ten markets across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia found that respondents are willing to pay premium prices for British-made goods. With the UK entering a new era on the international stage, post Brexit, it is very encouraging that Barclay’s research has highlighted a strong appetite for goods manufactured in …
BDO’s Manufacturing Deal Review discovered that the appetite for M&A deals in the sector was resilient throughout 2020 – with almost 600 deals completed last year – and that the level of activity is set to remain strong throughout 2021. For the reasons behind this trend and for more detailed information on this subject please read the bulletin below which was issued today by Insider Media Ltd.
R…
With the anti Covid-19 vaccine rollout continuing to gather momentum, business confidence in GB’s crucial services sector has risen to a 12 month high according to the BDO Services Optimism Index. The Index rose to 94.13 in February (up from 86.6 in January) – the highest figure since February 2020. For more information on this subject please read the article below which appeared in The Daily Tel…
In 2020 the government consulted on proposals to create a number of Freeports in the U.K. It was decided that a Freeport would be a geographic area with a diameter of up to 45km which is closely linked to a sea, air or rail port. In his Budget Statement this week the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced the initial 7 ‘winners’ from the bidding process which included Plymouth & South Devon whose suc…
Although post Brexit issues are currently causing disruption for some SME manufacturers in the South West, businesses in the region appear to be more optimistic compared with those in the rest of the country (according to the latest South West Manufacturing Barometer). All key performance data for South West manufacturers have shown improved positivity since the previous Barometer report, with fu…
With government decisions imminent in respect of Freeport bids throughout the U.K., the Great Western bid (with a deep sea port at its' heart) has been given significant support by business leaders and influencers across the West of England in an open letter to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak. Describing the bid proposal as a 'world class trade and job hub' and stressing that economic modelling sugge…
A Freeport bid submitted by BCP council, Bournemouth Airport and Pool Harbour Commissioners is forecast, if successful, to boost the economy of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by £1.7bn over 20 years and create up to 5,600 jobs. This is the latest South West-based bid for Freeport status and with at least 10 Freeports to be created nationally, and the government expected to announce the first…
The West of England Recovery Taskforce – set up to drive the region’s economic recovery – has produced a Regional Recovery Plan to protect and secure jobs, while building back greener and creating opportunities for all the local population to share in the recovery. Led by the West of England Combined Authority and the Local Enterprise Partnership, £9.4m has been committed to supporting the Recove…
If you have been contemplating selling your business you may be wondering if now could be a sensible time to bite the bullet! If so, you will undoubtedly find the following information helpful.
The prospects for selling a business (on a goodwill & fixed assets basis) or a company (via a shares transfer) have improved very significantly during the last few months. Enquiries from prospective purch…
Just seven months after securing government funding, construction is underway at Exeter Science Park on a £5m specialist centre for fast-growth STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine) businesses – a project set to drive growth and create jobs in the SME sector and a welcome boost for the local economy. For the full story please read the bulletin below which was issued b…
Total funding of £35.4m was secured last summer by the HotSW LEP for 24 projects in Devon and Somerset, with the first 12 now ready to go live whilst the remainder are expected to be contracted and go live in the spring. For the full story please read the bulletin below which was issued by Insider Media Ltd.
Roger Mundy, Managing Director, Beardsley Theobalds, 9th February 2021
Job-crea…
The West of England Combined Authority has submitted a bid for Freeport Status which, if successful, would see the authority (working with public and private sector partners) host the Great Western Freeport which could create up to 50,000 jobs in the Bristol area. The winning bids will be announced in the spring of this year. For the full story please read the bulletin below which was issued toda…
This is a question we are constantly being asked, especially by business owners who have been contemplating selling their businesses. The short answer is : It’s a bit like the ‘curate’s egg’ – good in parts. To be more precise, there are more prospective buyers than we have ever known currently looking for quality businesses in the market sectors in which we specialise – industrial, commercial an…
Advice to business owners is always – plan your exit from the business well in advance. Groom the business to maximise its saleability. Choose the timing with care.
Unfortunately, while most people accept the sense of this, in practice it usually doesn’t happen, often because the decision to sell is made quite suddenly and once it is made there is a desire to sell as soon as possible. This mean…
Since late 2016 there has been a general reduction in the number of businesses coming onto the market. It is generally understood that business owners, who in principle would like to sell, have been demonstrating a reluctance to commit to taking the necessary decision to do so. They have been citing all sorts of reasons for this, including the current state of the economy (national and global), g…
