Enterprise news and opinion from Cobweb

Contrary to continual claims by BIS that the biggest headaches and priorities faced by small business owners are red tape and access to finance, BIS’ own survey results provide a strong indication that problems with sourcing funding has not been an issue for 90% of business owners, and 98% had not sought information or advice relating to regulations.

Business minister Mark Prisk has been removed from his post as part of the latest Cabinet reshuffle. The new business minister is conservative MP Michael Fallon, who is expected to resign from his £350-an-hour city role as director of brokerage Tullet Prebon in order to take over at the Department for Business (BIS) where, according [...]

Just 1% of small and medium-sized businesses have ever used the Mentorsme website, new figures from the Department for Business (BIS) show…

The latest initiative to support small firms as part of the Government’s Business In You campaign has been announced by small business Minister, Mark Prisk. The announcement that the Government will provide support for two firms comes a day after it was reported that the UK had officially entered a double dip recession…

Earlier this week Cobweb attended the Business 2012 show at the London O2 as an exhibitor. Despite some difficulties with the venue’s location the event was well attended by prospective business start ups, business owners and professionals…

According to the Department for Business (BIS), the Government’s £1.9 million Get Mentoring initiative has signed up 7,500 volunteer business mentors in the four months since it was launched, half its target figure of 15,000. However, it is not clear about how many small firms are seeking help from the mentors, or how the scheme will be monitored…

A Government-commissioned report has concluded that volunteer mentoring from successful entrepreneurs is ‘not to be relied on’ as a core source of advice…

The Government’s latest web-based initiative to support and encourage start ups was launched by David Cameron last week. The Business In You website has been set up by the Department for Business (BIS) to highlight support for start-ups and growing businesses and encourage entrepreneurial spirit in 2012…

The Department for Business (BIS) has issued a call for another 10,000 volunteer business mentors to join the controversial Mentorsme initiative, pledging £1.2 million to train them…

As we move closer to 25 November, the official execution date for England’s regional Business Link services, it is perhaps worth taking a pause and looking at what is or appears to be happening after the closure of the much-criticised (and not infrequently praised) national face-to-face business advice service next month. In some ways, what [...]