News

A community landowner in the Isle of Lewis has purchased a workshop and a small area of land with support from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh (UOC) has been awarded a grant of £11,855 to help purchase the building in Breasclete, associated legal fe

As the UK approaches the anniversary of the first national lockdown, a new report from small business insurer Simply Business has revealed that the cost of COVID-19 to UK SMEs is set to exceed £126.6 billion – nearly double the £69bn initially projected a year ago.

Housing minister Kevin Stewart has written to the UK Government to urge a rethink on VAT rates for building refurbishments and renovations. In his letter to Treasury minister Jesse Norman, he argues the current situation acts as a disincentive to improvement work that might make buildings more energ

A new £30 million fund is being established by the Scottish Government to support small businesses within the third sector, helping them to grow as Scotland recovers from the impacts of coronavirus. The fund will be designed to respond to a need for third sector organisations to access loans t

A lawyer is facing a bill of more than £50,000 after having lost a court battle in a row over a "lovely thick" laurel hedge, The Times reports.

NatWest Group has bought back £1.1 billion of shares, bringing the UK Government's stake in the banking group down from 61.1% to 59.8%. The Royal Bank of Scotland owner has agreed with HM Treasury to make an off-market purchase for the total consideration of £1,125,341,269.13 for 590,730

With just under three weeks to go until the IR35 deadline on 6 April, new research from business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP has found that over one in three (38%) mid-sized businesses are not ready for the transition.

A total of 649 businesses fell into insolvency in Scotland since March last year, according to new figures released by insolvency service Business Rescue Expert. The firm has analysed data from the past 12 months to reveal the Year of Lockdown report, which reveals the state of businesses, the

Cairn Housing Association has welcomed a £55 million funding package from Royal Bank of Scotland to re-finance existing loans, enhance home interiors and develop its pipeline of prospective developments. Operating across 24 local authorities in Scotland with a significant presence in the Centr

Edinburgh-based Censo Biotechnologiesand Axol Bioscience Ltd, an established provider of iPSC-derived cells, media, and characterization services, have announced a merger and subsequent £3.8 million funding round. The new entity will become a leading provider of product and service s

Between December 2020 and February 2021, the average property selling price in Dumfries and Galloway was £177,319, a 14.9 per cent increase on the same period last year, ESPC reports.

Premium spirits company Beam Suntory is to invest £6 million into a restoration of Glen Garioch’s distillery in Oldmeldrum.

Eleven high-growth UK technology companies have secured a place on the Addleshaw Goddard (AG) Elevate programme, a unique fast-track legal mentoring scheme for early-stage businesses. Designed and delivered by leading lawyers at Addleshaw Goddard, successful candidates will now be assigned to a

Marie Bruhat, a designer who is keeping the Fair Isle knitting tradition alive, has been awarded £40,842 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to expand her business. Marie Bruhat was inspired to move to Fair Isle from France four years ago following a previous internship with another is

A three-year project to restore confidence and resilience in Orkney’s tourism sector has secured £300,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). The £390,000 project, by destination management organisation Destination Orkney Limited (DOL) will deliver a series of initiatives