Red tape dulls pubs' growth

Red tape is the greatest barrier to growth for small businesses, including pubs, new research has shown.

A survey of accountants found that nearly 40 per cent pinpointed mounting legislation as the main reason for hampering small business.

The research also found that nearly 70 per cent see David Cameron as the better option to Gordon Brown when it comes to lowering the legislative barriers that prevent small businesses from growing.

The administrative burden on business has grown despite government pledges to reduce it. In the past few years new legislation, including the Age Discrimination Act and new employment and workers rights laws, have meant that small business owners have had to spend an increasing amount of time learning how their company can remain compliant.

Commenting on the survey, Duane Jackson, managing director of KashFlow, a bookkeeping software company which carried out the research, said: "The survey we

commissioned has revealed that accountants believe small business owners have a really tough time of it trying to keep up with every change in legislation and red tape."