Sportl: the pay-as-you-go gym app sprinting into the capital March 10, 2026 When they worked at the Bank of England, Matthew Austin and Ryan Lovelock understood the frustration of finding time for the gym. Sneaking out for a lunchtime sesh or scrambling to leave work on time for an evening class is a familiar challenge for fitness-focused city workers. Austin said: “We were kind of here, there [...]
Removing UK’s tariff exemption could hurt small businesses, trade body warns March 8, 2026 Removing the UK’s tariff exemption for low value imports could risk pushing up prices, reduce trade intensity and damage small businesses, a leading trade body has warned. The British Chambers of Commerce’s (BCC) warning comes amid the government considering the move after the US removed its ‘de minimis’ exemption for certain commercial shipments. The EU [...]
Metro Bank shares dip after SME lending pivot sees profit balloon March 4, 2026 Metro Bank has swung back into profit as the firm’s pivot into small business lending led to a bump in revenue. The FTSE 250 lender returned to profitability with a pre-tax profit of just north of £98m – a 15-year high and major clawback from losses of £14m last year. The swing came as Metro [...]
Female entrepreneurs favour human connection as many see isolation a challenge February 27, 2026 Female founders and entrepreneurs have highlighted human connection as critical in building their business, as many still feel the challenge of isolation and loneliness. Nearly 80 per cent of female entrepreneurs identified human connection as significant to their livelihood, a new study from Female Founders Rise has found. Respondents highlighted the significant need for community [...]
The £1bn company with no staff? Why AI is a gift to Britain’s small businesses February 26, 2026 With branding built on Canva, market research synthesised in seconds or client decks as slick as McKinsey’s, could we say now that for the first time, a five-person firm can present like a 50-person one, and potentially undercut and outmanoeuvre larger rivals? Asks Eliza Filby In Silicon Valley, investors are salivating at the thought of [...]
Small business minister: we will unlock £1bn of local lending February 25, 2026 Community Development Finance gives small local business the funding and confidence they need to grow. That’s why this Labour government is launching a taskforce to expand the sector, say Blair McDougall and Bob Annibale The UK has long been home to an entrepreneurial spirit of creativity and innovation, from household names to neighbourhood heroes. Despite [...]
Small businesses warn April cost hikes could force closures February 19, 2026 Small businesses have warned they are heading into an “unprecedented cost crunch” in April, with over a third of employers planning to cut output or shut down as higher taxes and bills take effect. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has written to Rachel Reeves, warning that a combination of rising energy standing charges, business rate increases, [...]
CLIQ: The app combating loneliness is growing its network February 17, 2026 After living in Australia for a period of time, Nicola Gunby and Jason Iliffe wanted to find a community of friends upon moving to London post pandemic, but like many others moving to the capital, they found themselves isolated in one of the world’s busiest cities. Frustrated by a lack of meaningful ways to meet [...]
UK fintech Zempler Bank snapped up for less than half previous valuation February 12, 2026 London-based fintech Zempler Bank has been snapped up by Nigeria’s biggest bank in a deal that has slashed the firm’s valuation, City AM can reveal. The small business lender – formerly known as Cashplus – has been acquired by The Access Bank UK with a price tag of around £3.45p per share. The sale represents [...]
Making Tax Digital set to boost SME productivity February 5, 2026 Britain’s push to digitise tax ahead of the Making Tax Digital (MTD) deadline is set to help close its productivity gap with countries like France and Germany, City AM understands. According to Starling Bank, wider use of digital financial tools by SMEs could add £25.3bn to the economy, helping to narrow the UK’s productivity gap [...]