- "In the last 20 years our business has changed considerably…and as the focus of our business has changed, Bird Luckin have moved with us."
Alex Tanner, George Tanner (Shalford) Ltd - "Bird Luckin has looked after us incredibly well for over 60 years, they are pro-active and innovational - meeting all our needs to help us achieve our aims."
Richard Stubbings, Cliffords Limited - "I can honestly say that Bird Luckin are the best firm of accountants and auditors I have ever dealt with - and I don't say that lightly!"
Colin Webb, Walthamstow Stadium - "It's important for us to know that we will always be able to contact the right people to give us the right advice and support."
Jane Bennett, Bennetts Funeral Directors - "Although we deal mainly with one Partner … we also know that if we need to contact someone else who is a specialist in another area, we can get the advice we need quickly and easily"
Jeremy Ruggles, J.S. Wright & Sons Ltd - "Bird Luckin got us to a stage which would have taken us months - if not years - to reach on our own, and they got us there in a matter of weeks"
Matthew Sullivan, SNC Ltd - "You can be a good accountant, but if you don't have an understanding of the industry it can be very difficult. "There are two or three people we have regular contact with at Bird Luckin who know our business well, and it makes a difference.""
Robert Church, W A Church (Bures) Ltd - "The work which Bird Luckin has done for Boddingtons over the past few months has helped shape our future direction for the better."
John Warner, Chief Executive, Boddingtons Ltd - "Bird Luckin has acted for us since our inception 10 years ago. They have a very 'can do' yet highly professional attitude - we are very appreciative of their support and advice over the years."
Marlon Fox, Outlook Property Ltd
New Funding for Lending Scheme launched
A new scheme designed to deliver cheap credit to banks in order to boost the economy has been officially launched by the Government and the Bank of England.
Under the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS), banks and building societies will be able to borrow finance at cheaper rates than other financial institutions, in turn helping households and businesses access more credit.
Up to £80 billion will be available to institutions over the next 18 months.
Banks will be given the incentive that if they lend more, they will be able to borrow more from the FLS and at further lower cost than those that scale back lending.
Institutions will be able to borrow up to five per cent of its existing stock for lending and only be charged 0.75 per cent interest - significantly lower than the average rate. Those which scale back lending will see interest rates increase up to 1.5 per cent.
In addition, every pound of additional lending to businesses and households will allow the institution to borrow an additional pound from the scheme.
The Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, and Chancellor George Osborne first announced details of the scheme last month. According to mortgage experts for the BBC, the scheme has already prompted some mortgage lenders to offer cheaper rates on long-term loans.
Banks offering loans through another Government initiative designed to encourage small business lending - the National Loan Guarantee Scheme (NLGS) - are expected to phase out related products over the coming months. The Coalition launched the NLGS in March but figures suggest it has failed to increase lending to businesses.
The Treasury said that while the NLGS had been 'successful in providing reduced rate loans for smaller businesses', changes in market conditions since its introduction meant it was now 'less economical' for banks to raise unsecured funding.
Chancellor George Osborne said: "The NLGS has made a real difference, with over 16,000 cheaper loans worth over £2.5bn already offered to businesses across the UK. In many cases, the money saved has meant an extra person employed who otherwise still might be looking for work."
Speaking to the BBC, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), John Walker, said: "Communication will be key - whatever the name of the scheme - to ensure that businesses actually benefit."
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