28-Oct-2009 By Ewan Turney
The Government must not sacrifice support for small businesses to plug the gap in public finances, the FPB has warned.
25-Sep-2009 By Ewan Turney
Lord Mandelson has "gone a long way to saving" thousands of pubs by deciding to delay implementation of the mandatory alcohol retailing code. That's...
FSB urges government to take action against the tie
27-Aug-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Beer prices charged by pubcos is a problem for nearly 90 per cent of tied licensees, according to a survey by the Federation of Small Businesses...
Carbon Trust offers pubs cash-saving tips
24-Aug-2009 By Matt Eley Matt
Pubs and other hospitality businesses are to be given tips on how to make major cash savings by the Carbon Trust. The Big Business Refit is to...
24-Aug-2009 By Ewan Turney
The Carbon Trust has made £100m available in interest free loans to help pubs slash energy costs. The loans are available under the Big Business...
17-Aug-2009 By Ewan Turney
Small businesses could now wait up to four months to be paid by Danish brewing giant Carlsberg. The brewer has come under fire from the Forum of...
10-Aug-2009 By Ewan Turney
The Government needs to do more to break the high street banks' monopoly on finance for small businesses, according to the FSB.
Darling challenges banks over lending to small firms
28-Jul-2009 By James Wilmore
Hopes that banks will change their attitude over lending to licensees were raised yesterday after Alistair Darling met with banks urging them to make...
Village pubs need urgent support, says FSB
06-Jul-2009
Local councils must make more use of their discretionary powers to ease pressure on struggling rural pubs, says the Federation of Small Businesses...
06-Jul-2009 By Ewan Turney
Rural pubs must be offered 100% rate relief if they are to survive, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
03-Jul-2009 By Ewan Turney
Pubs and other small businesses are having to spend an average of 41 hours a week dealing with red tape, according to a new survey. The Forum of...
18-May-2009 By Ewan Turney
Half of all small business are unclear about what they need to to become more energy efficient, according to a new poll by British Gas Business....
Mark Daniels: Thanks for nothing, Mr Darling
22-Apr-2009
It's not a very funny joke, but then neither is the Chancellor's decision to once again hike up the tax on alcohol, with a further 2% added to the 8%...
Small firms need bank mediator, says FSB
21-Apr-2009 By James Wilmore
Small businesses, such as pubs, need a go-between to rebuild ailing relationships with banks and revive the flagging economy, a pre-Budget poll has...
17-Apr-2009 By William Rowland
A mediator would go a long way to repairing relations be between banks and small businesses, according to trade chiefs. In a recent poll over 70% of...
01-Apr-2009 By John Harrington
The Government has agreed to reduce increases in business rates and help licensees hit by the scrapping of transitional rate relief. The 5% increase...
01-Apr-2009 By Ewan Turney
More than half of small leisure businesses (52%) are delaying paying energy bills as long as possible, a new survey has found.
Mediator needed to end banks and small firms stand-off
30-Mar-2009 By James Wilmore
The stand-off between banks and businesses should be dealt with by a government-appointed mediator, a lobby group has urged. In its Budget...
23-Mar-2009 By Ewan Turney
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has launched a new postcard campaign calling for automatic rate relief.
16-Mar-2009 By John Harrington
Government and banks should do more to support small business, according to a new survey from the Forum for Private Business (FPB).
06-Mar-2009 By John Harrington
Local Government minister Sadiq Khan says the Government won't rule out automatic rate relief for small firms "as an option for the future
Government looks at making small business rate relief payments automatic
06-Mar-2009 By Hamish Champ
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is claiming a victory today as the government announced it would consider making the payment of Small Business Rate...
04-Mar-2009 By John Harrington
The pro-pub MP writes to the Chancellor and submits a petition urging banks to lend to pubs — 32 MPs have signed already.
Rate relief plans get major MP support
27-Feb-2009
More than a 100 MPs have backed a campaign for a new rate relief Bill to help small businesses, including pubs, by signing an early day motion which...
27-Feb-2009 By Ewan Turney
Over 100 MPs have thrown their support behind a campaign calling for automatic rate relief for small businesses. The MPs have signed up to an Early...
09-Feb-2009 By Ewan Turney
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is a calling on members to urge their MPs to support a private bill that would make rate relief automatic.
Cut business rates to reflect falling inflation
04-Feb-2009 By Gemma McKenna
Trade groups and MPs have urged the Government to lower business rates for small firms to reflect the expected fall in inflation.
Calls for flexibility over late tax returns
29-Jan-2009
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling for greater understanding for companies that miss the deadline for filing tax returns. The FSB...
Huge jump in calls to FSB helpline
26-Jan-2009
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has seen a 214 per cent increase in workers seeking advice on employment issues and redundancies. The jump...
21-Jan-2009 By John Harrington
The Government has dismissed calls for small-business rate relief to be granted automatically for English firms. A powerful alliance of trade groups,...
25-Nov-2008 By Ewan Turney
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has welcomed the new £1bn fund for small firms announced by the Chancellor in his Pre-Budget Report.
24-Nov-2008 By MA team
In a move labelled "staggering", Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced another increase in duty on alcohol and tobacco to off-set a cut in VAT in his Pre-Budget report.
Small firms need £1billion survival fund
17-Nov-2008 By James Wilmore
A £1billion government survival fund must be introduced to help small business survive the recession, a trade body has urged. The Federation of...
Victory for pub in road sign battle
17-Nov-2008 By Matt Eley Matt
A couple that had been told to remove a road sign advertising their pub because it could lead to drink-driving have been granted a reprieve. In...
14-Nov-2008 By Gemma McKenna
Council bosses have called for greater powers to give business-rates "breaks" to struggling small firms. This comes in the wake of a new Local...
FSB appoints small business professor
07-Nov-2008 By Ewan Turney
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has appointed a business professor to help its members in the current challenging environment.
Banks overlooking small business
04-Nov-2008 By Ewan Turney
Small businesses are still being overlooked by banks despite promising proposals from the Government, claims the FSB.
22-Oct-2008 By Ewan Turney
Government measures set out to help small businesses have been welcomed by two trade organisations. The Government yesterday agreed plans for local...
21-Oct-2008 By John Harrington
The Conservatives have called for action to help struggling small businesses through difficult times. Deferring VAT bills for up to six months, and...
07-Oct-2008 By Ewan Turney
The Federation of Small Businesses has called for interest rates to be cut this Thursday to help small businesses fight the credit crunch.
Lights switch off at energywatch
01-Oct-2008 By Matt Eley Matt
Licensees in dispute with power companies will no longer be able to turn to energywatch. The regulator officially shuts down today and will be...
18-Sep-2008 By John Harrington
A trade leader has urged Gordon Brown to throw struggling small businesses a lifeline on business rates. In a letter to the Prime Minister,...
15-Sep-2008 By Ewan Turney
The Federation of Small Businesses has called on local councils to rethink their parking policy in a bid to help keep trade local.
22-Jul-2008 By John Harrington
The Federation of Small Business (FSB) has given its backing to the anti-pubco Fair Pint campaign.
End of energywatch is blow for pubs
11-Jul-2008 By Matt Eley Matt
Pubs will have nowhere to turn for help in disputes with energy companies when a watchdog disbands, according to the Federation of Small Businesses...
Small businesses slam rising costs
23-Jun-2008
People who run small businesses have spoken out against the government, blaming it for not doing enough to help spiralling business costs. In a poll...
On-the-job training should be accredited, FSB argues
18-Jun-2008 By James Wilmore
Small businesses are being short-changed by the government when it comes to recognising workplace training, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)...
Back to Basics: Expanding your business
17-Jun-2008
After the initial struggle of starting up, many pubs and other licensed trade businesses find themselves at a standstill and unsure of how to expand...
Welsh pubs could still miss out on rate relief
03-Jun-2008 By James Wilmore
Many small pubs in Wales could still miss out on rate relief despite government plans to extend the threshold. A consultation is currently underway...
Brown's changes to workers' rights may 'threaten small businesses'
22-May-2008
Government plans to overhaul workers' rights could create serious staffing problems for small businesses. That's the view of trade group Forum for...
