State Aid rules relaxed for CBILS loans
The government has announced that more small businesses will benefit from the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). Under the scheme, borrowers can apply for up to £5 million in finance in the form of loans, overdrafts, invoice finance, and/or asset finance. The government will
Intellectual Property Office service update
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has ended its ‘interrupted days’ provisions and is now working to its usual deadlines. The IPO introduced extended deadlines, known as interrupted days, on 24 March 2020 as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. An ‘interrupted day’ is defined as a day in which
More support for film and other creative industries
A new £500 million scheme to kickstart film and television production struggling to secure insurance for COVID-related costs has been launched. This scheme will help TV and film productions that have been halted or delayed by a lack of insurance to get back up and running. The funding will be
Breaking even
There are businesses that have benefitted from the current COVID disruption. Particularly, those that can deliver goods and services online.
There are far more that have not benefitted.
Before COVID-19 reared its disruptive head businesses were exhorted to make profits. This was the way most firms
Beyond furlough
Unless the Chancellor comes up with replacement funding for the furlough scheme, and there is no sign that this will happen, those businesses that have maintained their workforce by furloughing staff will face difficult choices when the present Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme closes down at the end
New redundancy protections for furloughed employees
The government has unveiled an important new law that will protect furloughed workers who are made redundant. This will ensure that any employee who was furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) will receive their full basic statutory redundancy entitlement. This amount will be
How elastic is demand for your products?
Many will remember the empty shelves in supermarkets when lock-down commenced March 2020. In particular, the absence of toilet rolls…
Compare this with supplies of TVs and other luxury goods where there was no noticeable absence of supply.
These examples point to a basic economic theory; that a
Business rates review
The government has confirmed that the next business rates revaluation in England will be postponed until April 2023. The government has previously announced that the revaluation that was due in 2021 would be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic but no date had been announced. The revaluation in
Why do customers buy from you?
This may seem to be an odd question. They buy because you offer what they want at the right price?
But is that the only consideration?
For faceless organisations like the larger online retailers, customers benefit from the huge range of goods on offer, easy payment options and reviews from
Theatres can reopen from 1 August 2020
The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has announced the gradual reopening of indoor theatres and other live performance venues from 1 August 2020. The venues will need to follow strict social distancing measures and perform to a limited audience.
This announcement marks the move to stage 4 of the