The UK - a good place to do business?

The UK, on the whole, is a good place to do business. Thatís the verdict of a recent in-depth survey of small business owners and managers by leading business finance provider, Bibby Financial Services.

An overwhelming 90% of entrepreneurs agree the UK has a number of key strengths that make it an attractive location to grow their business, with more than half (52%) citing the stable economy as a key driver and 44% appreciating the UKís entrepreneurial culture.

However, as with most things, there is a ëbutí and the small business sector is no exception. When asked what the single most annoying thing about doing business in the UK was, 44% of owners and managers complained about the high levels of red tape and bureaucracy.

In fact, given a magic wand, the one thing owners and managers would do to make the UK a better place to do business, according to 55% of respondents, would be to immediately outlaw all unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape. More controversially, 12% of entrepreneurs went a bit further and said they would immediately oust Tony Blair from power. With 14% of owners and managers stating that Labour was bad for business and that their business policies were ìnot good at allî

Commenting on the research findings, David Robertson, chief executive of Bibby Financial Services, said: ìIt is very encouraging that entrepreneurs view the UK as a good place to do business. However, the fact that owners and managers are still struggling under the sheer weight of red tape has to be disappointing news for the Government. Despite repeated attempts to make sweeping legislative changes aimed at reducing unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy, the problem appears to have got worse instead of better. At a time of increased competition from a newly enlarged European Union, small businesses and entrepreneurs should be encouraged to focus on growing their businesses rather than holding them back by red tape.

ìSmall businesses form the backbone of the UK economy and owners and managers have enough to do running their firms, creating wealth and providing employment without having to worry about misguided government policies that stifle their businessí growth and hamper their plans.

ìWith a General Election looming next year, the Government would do well to listen to the concerns of the UK small business sector which after all, employs more than 50% of the UKís private sector workforce and represents some 12 million people*.îThe UK - a good place to do business?

The UK, on the whole, is a good place to do business. Thatís the verdict of a recent in-depth survey of small business owners and managers by leading business finance provider, Bibby Financial Services.

An overwhelming 90% of entrepreneurs agree the UK has a number of key strengths that make it an attractive location to grow their business, with more than half (52%) citing the stable economy as a key driver and 44% appreciating the UKís entrepreneurial culture.

However, as with most things, there is a ëbutí and the small business sector is no exception. When asked what the single most annoying thing about doing business in the UK was, 44% of owners and managers complained about the high levels of red tape and bureaucracy.

In fact, given a magic wand, the one thing owners and managers would do to make the UK a better place to do business, according to 55% of respondents, would be to immediately outlaw all unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape. More controversially, 12% of entrepreneurs went a bit further and said they would immediately oust Tony Blair from power. With 14% of owners and managers stating that Labour was bad for business and that their business policies were ìnot good at allî

Commenting on the research findings, David Robertson, chief executive of Bibby Financial Services, said: ìIt is very encouraging that entrepreneurs view the UK as a good place to do business. However, the fact that owners and managers are still struggling under the sheer weight of red tape has to be disappointing news for the Government. Despite repeated attempts to make sweeping legislative changes aimed at reducing unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy, the problem appears to have got worse instead of better. At a time of increased competition from a newly enlarged European Union, small businesses and entrepreneurs should be encouraged to focus on growing their businesses rather than holding them back by red tape.

ìSmall businesses form the backbone of the UK economy and owners and managers have enough to do running their firms, creating wealth and providing employment without having to worry about misguided government policies that stifle their businessí growth and hamper their plans.

ìWith a General Election looming next year, the Government would do well to listen to the concerns of the UK small business sector which after all, employs more than 50% of the UKís private sector workforce and represents some 12 million people*.îThe UK - a good place to do business?

The UK, on the whole, is a good place to do business. Thatís the verdict of a recent in-depth survey of small business owners and managers by leading business finance provider, Bibby Financial Services.

An overwhelming 90% of entrepreneurs agree the UK has a number of key strengths that make it an attractive location to grow their business, with more than half (52%) citing the stable economy as a key driver and 44% appreciating the UKís entrepreneurial culture.

However, as with most things, there is a ëbutí and the small business sector is no exception. When asked what the single most annoying thing about doing business in the UK was, 44% of owners and managers complained about the high levels of red tape and bureaucracy.

In fact, given a magic wand, the one thing owners and managers would do to make the UK a better place to do business, according to 55% of respondents, would be to immediately outlaw all unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape. More controversially, 12% of entrepreneurs went a bit further and said they would immediately oust Tony Blair from power. With 14% of owners and managers stating that Labour was bad for business and that their business policies were ìnot good at allî

Commenting on the research findings, David Robertson, chief executive of Bibby Financial Services, said: ìIt is very encouraging that entrepreneurs view the UK as a good place to do business. However, the fact that owners and managers are still struggling under the sheer weight of red tape has to be disappointing news for the Government. Despite repeated attempts to make sweeping legislative changes aimed at reducing unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy, the problem appears to have got worse instead of better. At a time of increased competition from a newly enlarged European Union, small businesses and entrepreneurs should be encouraged to focus on growing their businesses rather than holding them back by red tape.

ìSmall businesses form the backbone of the UK economy and owners and managers have enough to do running their firms, creating wealth and providing employment without having to worry about misguided government policies that stifle their businessí growth and hamper their plans.

ìWith a General Election looming next year, the Government would do well to listen to the concerns of the UK small business sector which after all, employs more than 50% of the UKís private sector workforce and represents some 12 million people*.