Originally written by Stephanie Spicer on Small Business
Regional business growth investment inequality is set to worsen without significant changes and job growth, business investment and infrastructure in the regions could suffer most, according to the trade association for regional business investment – the UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA), which is launching a series of investment seminars for all interested parties.
The Association cites a new independent report by the UK 2070 commission, (the independent inquiry into city and regional inequalities in the UK, chaired by Lord Kerslake) which says the UK is one of the most regionally unbalanced countries in the industrialised world and the disparities will widen unless the government adopts a radical programme of investment.
UKBAA says a huge shift in emphasis is needed towards regional funding support to address this inequality in the next few years. One of the biggest problems it highlights is the UK’s regions is a lack of investment into small, growing, businesses. This it says, creates further gaps in terms of wage and job growth with fewer businesses able to grow and scale apace with their London counterparts.
It adds that there is currently a lack of awareness regionally in wealthy individuals as to the wide