Category: Business News

Glasgow, one of the premier shopping destinations in Scotland, is facing significant challenges that threaten its vibrancy and economic vitality. These same challenges are affecting businesses across not only Scotland but the UK generally. A recent report by the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce highlights a decline of over 400,000 visitors to Glasgow city centre compared to the previous year, coupled with a substantial drop in retail sales.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provides an ‘Exercise in a Box’ online tool that can help businesses check how resilient they are to cyber attacks as well as practise their response in a safe environment. The tool will give you some exercises that can be carried out in your own time as many times as you want.

In the wake of the Bank of England’s decision to maintain the base rate at 5.25%, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has expressed concern about the impact on small business growth and investment. FSB National Chair Martin McTague commented on the decision, stating, “Yet again, the MPC has opted to stick instead of twist, a move which was widely predicted but which is no less disappointing for it.

In the wake of the Bank of England’s decision to maintain the base rate at 5.25%, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has expressed concern about the impact on small business growth and investment. FSB National Chair Martin McTague commented on the decision, stating, “Yet again, the MPC has opted to stick instead of twist, a move which was widely predicted but which is no less disappointing for it.

The Welsh Government were excited to announce a significant milestone in its own mission to increase the number of employee-owned businesses in Wales. The number of such businesses in Wales has doubled, reaching 74 almost two years ahead of their 2026 target.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics show that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for May 2024 was 2%. This is a reduction from the 2.3% assessed in April and means that inflation has hit the Bank of England’s target rate for the first time in nearly 3 years. The main reason for the drop is food, where prices are falling now but were rising a year ago.

On 1 October 2024, the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 will come into effect, introducing significant changes to how tips are managed and distributed in the hospitality industry. This legislation aims to improve fairness by mandating that all tips, gratuities, and service charges are allocated fairly among employees.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has issued a warning about false claims being made about the deadline for appealing the 2023 list for business rates. Some are claiming that the deadline is 30 June, however this is not true. Generally, you are able to appeal your property valuation on the 2023 list at any time until March 2026.