Forty-six architecture practices have been appointed to LHC’s Architectural Design Services (ADS2) framework. ADS2 was developed in partnership with Southwark, Islington and Westminster Councils. It was designed to attract diverse-led practices and SMEs. Over 90% of the appointed companies are SMEs, with 19 falling into the micro category (10 employees or fewer). Potential suppliers were scored against a range of criteria including their approach to diversity and representation, with the framework aiming to mirror the diversity of London’s communities. ADS2 has seven workstreams valued at £75million covering masterplanning, education and public buildings, residential, retrofit, MMC, and public realm and landscape. One…

Allia Impact has joined forces with Beauhurst Insights to launch the first-of-its-kind data-driven census of the UK’s mission-led business landscape. Published today, ‘The Impact Business Tipping Point: A Data-Driven Census of the UK’s Mission-Led Business Landscape’, reveals that more than 150,000 mission-led businesses are now operating across the UK, contributing at least £37 billion in annual turnover and growing faster than the wider UK business landscape. This challenges the long-held assumption that purpose-driven businesses must sacrifice growth for impact, instead signalling their growing importance in the UK economy and their significant potential to channel capital towards social and environmental outcomes.…

MW Finman Ltd, a new accountancy practice, has launched in South West London to support owner-managed businesses with accounting, tax, cash flow and commercial advice. Founded by South West London business owner Mike Wong, the firm has been created for small and growing businesses that want clearer numbers, stronger systems and better commercial insight. MW Finman will work with businesses across London, with a particular focus on trades, property and service-based businesses. The practice has been built around a common issue faced by many SMEs: the business is busy, sales are coming in, but the owner does not always have…

The appeal of a 50:50 shareholding is obvious. Two equal partners, a shared vision, a sense of trust and fairness. But what happens when that trust breaks down? The 50:50 structure is one of the most fertile grounds for shareholder disputes in English company law. When two equal shareholders fall out, the result is often a complete deadlock.  And where deadlock festers, an unfair prejudice petition under section 994 of the Companies Act 2006 is rarely far behind.  What Is a Deadlock? A deadlock occurs when shareholders or directors are unable to reach the majority required to pass a resolution…

 A stolen password might seem like a minor inconvenience, but it is one of the most common ways cyber criminals gain access to business systems, sensitive data, and customer information. Joshua Walsh, Information Security Practitioner at rradar, relentless’s embedded legal and risk management partner, believes there is a persistent misconception that serious cyber incidents mainly affect large organisations. In reality, SMEs are frequently exposed to far simpler vulnerabilities, including compromised credentials and everyday security gaps. Despite a growing awareness of cyber risk, poor password habits persist. The latest research from NordPass shows that “123456,” “admin,” and “123456789” are still among…

In conversation with SME Today, Catherine shares how a deeply personal parenting challenge became the foundation for Hygge Sheets, a fast-growing international brand supporting families navigating nighttime accidents. What started as a search for better solutions at home quickly uncovered a widespread but often unspoken issue affecting millions. Through honest dialogue, instinct and a commitment to helping others, Catherine has not only built a successful business but is also playing a key role in changing how we talk about sleep confidence and nighttime wellbeing. Hygge Sheets was inspired by your experiences as a parent. At what point did you realise…

SME Today had the opportunity to sit down with Gunikka Ahuja, Founder of Bunta Beer, to discuss her transition from a six‑figure role at Adidas to building a brand at the intersection of food, culture and innovation. In this Q&A, Ahuja opens up about spotting a gap in the market, taking the leap into entrepreneurship, and redefining the role of beer alongside Indian cuisine. You walked away from a successful six-figure career at Adidas to launch Bunta Beer. What was the moment you realised the opportunity was too compelling to ignore? There wasn’t one single moment. It was more like…

Residents living in housing for people in later life across England will soon have access to fitness classes, wellbeing support and an online community designed specifically for people aged 55 and over, thanks to a new partnership between Gloucestershire-based Jim’s Gym and Anchor’s Be Well 360 service. Founded by Stroud personal trainer James Hilton, Jim’s Gym helps people aged 55 and over stay active, build strength and maintain their independence through live online classes, on-demand workouts and a supportive community. The new partnership will see residents at Be Well 360 locations gain access to the Jim’s Gym platform, which helps older people stay…

The FD Consultant, founded by London-based finance director Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, takes home multiple business awards honouring the business’s commitment to customers and supporting SMEs. Over the last weekend of April, The FD Consultant, visited both the Kingston Borough Business Awards and the Best SME Awards after being announced as finalists in four categories across the two business awards. The consultancy firm provide fractional finance director and CFO support to start-ups and SMEs across the UK, working closely with founders who need senior financial expertise without appointing a full-time board-level hire. On 23rd April, Romesh and his team headed to the Kingston Borough Business Awards which recognise businesses making a strong impact within the local business community.…

Having been in the legal industry for over 20 years, I’ve seen disruption more than once. I started my career at law firm Allen & Overy (now A&O Shearman) and later became Director of Transformation at LexisNexis UK. Now, I’m CEO of Flex Legal, a SME dedicated to championing diversity across the legal sector. In pushing for change, I’ve realised that while disruption is out of our control, how we respond to it isn’t.  Strength doesn’t necessarily come from size. With smaller teams, SMEs have a chance at proactive response and can usually sense change before it’s too late. How does this work in practice? Scale versus speed There’s no denying the value of large firms. With their depth of expertise, capacity and infrastructure, bigger teams can stay calm in…