Approximately 1.1 million* fewer people are expected to go to the pub during this big summer of football as new research commissioned by small business insurer, Simply Business, reveals Britain’s independent locals are set to lose out on a potential £197m*, in revenue. As customers swap pub stools for their sofas, the research reveals just how impactful late night kick-offs are to the typical football viewing habits of Brits. Of those who do plan to watch in the pub, just one in five (20%) say they would be willing to go out for a match kicking off as late as…
Author: sme-admin
Company intelligence platform, Beauhurst has revealed the complex structures that prevent governments, advisors and investors from seeing the full picture of the UK’s largest businesses. Beauhurst, the UK’s leading platform for private company intelligence, has analysed the UK’s 100 largest businesses using True Companies. This newly launched data suite from Beauhurst enables firms, investors and public bodies to easily see the complete view of businesses as they actually operate, regardless of how many legal entities sit behind them. The analysis shows that the UK’s 100 largest businesses are made up of more than 37,000 individual entities registered with Companies House,…
For small business owners, time is the ultimate currency, and it always seems to be in short supply. Heather Holmes, founder and CEO of Publicity For Good and author of Seen by AI, Found by Customers, shares her journey from running a solo operation out of a 23-foot Airstream to leveraging AI for massive efficiency. But as Holmes reveals, AI isn’t just an internal time-saver for administrative tasks; it is rapidly transforming how customers discover businesses online. Read on to discover the essential, free AI tools that can give you hours back each week, and learn the practical, budget-friendly steps…
The future rollout of self-driving vehicles across the UK moves a step closer, as the Government seeks views on the safety rules that will let people own and use them on British roads. Consultation will ensure the technology is rolled out safely and responsibly, giving people confidence in self-driving vehicles while keeping road safety at the heart of their introduction. The safety bar is high: self-driving vehicles must meet a higher standard than the average human driver. And technology could cut out human error altogether – with drivers currently contributing to 88% of reported road collisions. Clear expectations will be set for…
CEEK founder Charlie Terry explores why restaurants now need to market to both people and AI, how ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews are reshaping restaurant discovery, why PR has become an SEO and AI visibility tool, and the practical steps operators can take to increase bookings, loyalty and revenue. UK hospitality contributes £93 billion to the economy, supports 2.7 million jobs, and remains one of the most culturally vital sectors in the country. Yet right now, the industry is under pressure. Sales fell by 2.4% in 2025, the steepest decline of any sector, while food inflation hit 5.1% and labour…
UK houses lost value in real terms in 2025 and significantly underperformed equities, according to new research by Rathbones, one of the UK’s leading wealth and asset management groups. Its annual report, “Don’t Bet the House”, which compares gains from investing in residential property with typical stock market portfolios, warns property is no longer a reliable investment for people seeking short or mid-term growth. Over the past year, UK house price growth has continued its slump, rising just 1.7% – only half the pace of inflation. Whereas a simple investment mix of 25% UK equities and 75% international equities rose…
By Paul Mills, Co-founder of Find a Fractional by VCMO For many SMEs, growth creates a leadership problem before it creates the case for a full-time executive hire. A business may need sharper financial discipline, clearer marketing direction, stronger operational processes or more structured commercial leadership. But hiring a permanent CFO, CMO, COO or CRO is often expensive, slow and difficult to justify too early. The alternative is usually to keep operating with a gap at the top, leaving founders or senior managers to carry responsibilities that sit outside their expertise. Both options carry risk. A permanent senior hire can…
You’ve built something great. So why can’t anyone find you? Here’s how to stop flying under the radar and start attracting the customers you deserve. There are over 5.5 million small businesses in the UK. Most of them are doing genuinely brilliant work: serving their local communities, solving real problems, and delivering quality that the big brands simply can’t match. And yet, the vast majority of them are almost completely invisible online. If you’ve ever typed your own business name into Google and found it buried on page three, or posted consistently on social media only to be met with…
Business leaders from across the country are coming together for a dedicated Founder’s Dinner to raise vital funds for Leo’s Angels, the memorial fund dedicated to harnessing technology to transform epilepsy care and save lives. Founded in memory of Leo, who tragically died in 2023 from Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), Leo’s Angels is dedicated to driving technological innovation in epilepsy care. The initiative was founded by Leo’s mum Emma, CEO of Embridge Consulting, the digital transformation specialist empowering people, processes and technology. The dinner, set to take place on 14th July, is being organised by Warners Distillery with all…
Experts have outlined key actions businesses should take to comply with the new entry-exit system (EES), as British travellers are told to expect six-hour queues at European airports this summer. The new EES system has replaced the manual passport stamping process with a fully digital system that registers biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial images, to track entries, exits, and stays in real time. Unlike the previous system, which relied on human checks, this shift aims to streamline border management, reduce wait times, and improve security by combating identity fraud and overstays. The corporate travel experts at Booking.com for Business have…