Fewer businesses now rely on an overdraft facility from their bank – the reason being a combination of banks being less inclined to offer them (regulatory and cost reasons) and business owners wanting to be less reliant on the bank. However many DO, and where it works for them it is a lifeline in times Read more about When is your overdraft due for renewal? Do you actually know![…]

There is a lot of concern for businesses in the current ‘Lock Down’ and particularly those smaller operations which rely on consumers spending day to day money; pubs, restaurants, gym’s etc. Personally, I’m more concerned for UK Plc if those businesses fail rather than the large Corporates, such as airlines. These have more capability to Read more about Getting cash quickly (i.e. now) into suffering businesses[…]

The impressive growth of platform lenders to SME’s has certainly filled a gap left by the high street banks for lending of a certain kind. But it has also been driven partly by ‘convenience’ – getting a decision almost instantly and then having access to funds within days has appealed to borrowers. However, these deals Read more about Personal Guarantees – the next scandal? and why no central register?[…]

As a country lad I remember being shut in a very dark barn on a sunny day. It was pitch black but in one corner a tiny crack in a roof tile had an interesting effect: by the time the sunlight hit the ground it was like a spotlight on a stage. A chink had Read more about SME needs, bank cultures and how ‘a chink becomes a ray of light’[…]