9:00am Thursday 2nd July 2009
By Marc Meneaud
The number of small businesses based at Bradford’s Carlisle Business Centre has grown by a fifth since the start of the year, its owners have reported.
Occupancy rates at the business centre in Carlisle Road, Manningham, have risen from 70 per cent to 90 per cent in fewer than six months.
The success has been hailed as a signal of recovery for small business, which has been one of the areas hardest hit by the recession.
Jenny Pupius, chief executive of Action for Business, which owns the centre, said: “Our positive start to the year confirms that Carlisle Business Centre is increasingly becoming a first port of call for small businesses in Bradford seeking affordable workspace. That’s great news for us and the local community which enjoys the spin-off benefits of having a successful organisation in its midst.”
The Bradford centre’s high occupancy rate highlights the trend that the country’s smaller companies, hit hard by the recession and the credit crunch, are experiencing a tentative recovery.
New figures issued by the Federation of Small Businesses revealed that in a survey of 4,400 members, 57 per cent were “quite confident” about the futures of their businesses, while 68 per cent said they planned to grow in the next six months.
Although only 23 per cent nationally reported an increase in trade, this was up from 11 per cent at the FSB survey’s low point in December last year.
Access to funding also appears to be less of a problem for small businesses, with many seeing overdrafts and lending returning to a manageable level.
A quarter of companies in the FSB poll said the cost of finance was still a concern but this was down from 40 per cent in September.
More companies said red tape was more of a problem than access to funding. A third of companies said they had been paid late by large customers but, again, this was down from 51 per cent in September and 55 per cent said their payment terms had not been affected.
John Wright, FSB national chairman, said: “Although we are not out of the woods yet, many small firms are seeing increased footfall and finding it easier to obtain crucial finance.”
Action for Business has also reported a 100 per cent score in a recent satisfaction survey for the centre, which has been awarded the prestigious ‘Investors in People’ accolade.
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