09/07/2007 by admin.

Businesses in the region hit by serious flooding last month are to be get help with funding.

Continuous heavy rain saw several parts of North East Wales affected with Wrexham the worst-hit county.

Homes, schools, a nursing home and the entire village of Worthenbury were among the places to suffer damage and temporary shutdowns.

The Federation of Small Businesses has now announced the establishment of a £500,000 fund to help businesses who have lost out.

The FSB has set aside the sum to grant short-term interest free loans of up to £5,000 per individual case to any of its members who are suffering severe trading hardship as a esult of the floods, especially where there is no other financial support available.

Any FSB member wanting assistance should contact Michael Learmond, regional organiser for North Wales at www.fsb.org.uk/northwales.

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09/07/2007 by admin.

Entrepreneurs in Wales are working up to 45 hours every week, according to a survey into the work-life balance culture of small business managers.

Across Britain the average working week for a small business manager is more than 47 hours. Small businesses in Yorkshire and Humberside are at the head of the long hours table with an average working week of almost 50 hours.

The work-life balance survey from Bank of Scotland also found that the long hours worked by Welsh entrepreneurs are eating into holiday time, as just under half of owner-managers will not be taking a two-week summer break this year.

Business owners in Wales say that the long hours are taking their toll, with more than half saying that they find the running and managing of their business stressful, affecting their quality of life, health and relationships with friends and family.

Kevin Gillett, head of Bank of Scotland Business Banking, said: “With long hours accompanying above-average stress levels, there is a clear downside to the pursuit of success for some small business owners.”

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