smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

More businesses expect finance to become available this year.

Some 44 per cent of companies say finance will be more readily accessible in 2010, compared to 8 per cent last year, according to a poll from business advisory firm Grant Thornton.

David Campbell, regional managing partner, says: ‘This increase in optimism supports the view that UK lenders are loosening the tight controls placed on finance as the economy begins to edge out of recession. However, despite an upbeat attitude, concerns over demand for products and services are the biggest threats to expansion.’

Of the 500 businesses surveyed, 35 per cent say their greatest growth constraint is a shortage in orders, with 28 per cent citing red tape and 18 per cent lack of working capital.