British Business Bank Reaches £5bn Lending Milestone for Structured Guarantee Programmes

The British Business Bank has reached the landmark milestone of £5 billion of lending across its structured guarantee programmes, ENABLE Guarantees and ENABLE Build.
More than £3 billion has been delivered to businesses outside London and the South East. A total of £155.95 million has been provided in Wales.
The ENABLE Guarantees programme is designed to encourage additional lending to smaller and medium-sized businesses. Participating institutions are incentivised by a government-backed guarantee to support defined portfolios of debt finance in return for a fee.
Smaller and medium-sized businesses across the UK have benefited significantly from the programme, British Business Bank said. The structured guarantee programmes have provided more than £2.3 billion of support to the construction and housing sectors, including around £1.2 billion under ENABLE Build. Other notable sectors benefiting include hospitality, with more than £270 million, and agriculture, with more than £260 million.
Since the first transaction in 2017, these structured guarantee programmes have supported both bank and non-bank financial institutions to unlock more lending to smaller and medium-sized businesses.
The ENABLE Guarantees programme is open to all UK banks, UK branches of foreign banks, asset and asset-based finance providers as well as certain other categories of lenders which lend, or intend to lend, to viable small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the UK.
The ENABLE Build programme operates in a similar manner to the ENABLE Guarantees programme, but is focused on encouraging additional lending to smaller and medium-sized housebuilders in the UK.
Michael Strevens, Managing Director, Structured Financial Institutions, British Business Bank, said:
'It's incredibly rewarding to reflect on the volume of lending to smaller and medium-sized businesses and the number of homes built that we've helped enable over the years. Our focus has always been on evolving our support to strengthen UK businesses, and it's encouraging to see those efforts bearing fruit. Looking ahead, we're focused on being more proactive — working closely with lenders to understand their challenges and tailor solutions that fit. That's how we'll unlock the next £5 billion — and do so with greater pace and purpose.'
Adam Bovingdon, Head of Property Development, United Trust Bank (UTB), said:
'UTB helped the British Business Bank develop its ENABLE Guarantees programme to be suitable for supporting housebuilding and was the first lender to take advantage of it when it was made available to the sector in 2017. We subsequently signed up to ENABLE Build and I am delighted to say that earlier this year UTB surpassed £1 billion of ENABLE guaranteed lending across both schemes, delivering nearly 450 loan facilities to SME housebuilders and supporting the creation of around 4,700 new homes. Bearing in mind that during this period lenders and housebuilders have also had to contend with the Covid-19 pandemic and considerable economic and political volatility, it's clear just how important this support has been. ENABLE is an excellent example of successful state and private sector cooperation.'
Ravi Anand, Managing Director of ThinCats, said:
'The British Business Bank's ENABLE Guarantees programme has been a huge contribution to the £1 billion of funding we have undertaken post COVID. The scheme 'does what it says on the tin'— enabling senior bank appetite to allow ThinCats to fund growth initiatives of UK mid-sized SMEs and in turn enabling a positive contribution to UK GDP.'
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), said:
'It's positive to see that small housebuilders have taken advantage of ENABLE schemes. Financing is one of the top issues holding back small developers from building new homes and the more finance options there are the better. The ENABLE Build scheme helps aid diversification of the UK's housing market, which is essential to deliver the Government's ambition of 1.5 million new homes.'

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Edinburgh Reporter

2 hours ago

• Edinburgh Reporter

What future for Regent Road Bowling Green?

Edinburgh has a profusion of community projects injecting energy and optimism into abandoned and underused spots in the city. Key to these is a desire to keep such places within the public domain and for them to contribute to community life – and also to greening the city. Successful projects include Leith Community Growers, Lochend Secret Garden, and The Sunshine on Leith Community Garden (tucked behind tenements near Sloan Street). There is hope that Regent Road Bowling Green in Abbeyhill can follow this path, turning an abandoned site into a community run space. Bowled over While many private bowling clubs are in a healthy situation, many council-owned bowling greens are no longer being used. Abandoned bowling greens are evident across the city, from Harrison Park to Powderhall and Leith Links. This raises questions as to how these fantastic assets can best be put to use, while keeping them within the public domain. Successful examples include the allotments on Victoria Park, which are gradually turning into community allotments. Regent Road Bowling Green when in use Regent Community Bowling Club suffered badly during the Covid-19 pandemic and transferred stewardship back to the council. This transfer has prompted renewed discussions and initiatives aimed at revitalising the site for the benefit of the local community. The Thriving Green Space Team of The City of Edinburgh Council set things in motion. Local groups such as Colony of Artists, Abbeyhill Action, and Leith Community Growers have expressed interest in keeping the Bowling Green as part of the local community. Two locals, Kat Chisolm and Tom Adams (of Abbeyhill Colony of Artists) have now taken on the lease of the site, on a month by month rolling basis. They've been negotiating with the council for two years, but need now to turn hopes into concrete steps. To secure a longer term lease, they need to show the council that there is strong community support and that a capable management team is in place. Securing a long-term lease is a prerequisite for funding applications. For example, Leith Community Growers were very interested in getting involved but would have required at least a five-year lease to make it workable for them. Regent Road Bowling Green in the haar, by alljengi on Strike while the iron is hot This need to put together a capable, legally constituted management committee, including a diverse range of people and skills, was the aim of a drop-in session on Saturday. Despite the cool, foggy morning, dozens of people turned up, creating quite a buzz. Kat and Tom were happy to see a good range of ages and 'skill sets' among those offering their assistance. As Kat and Tom emphasised, while statements of support are welcome, it was offers of active involvement that are really required at this stage. They need to 'strike while the iron is hot' and not just talk about it but actually do something'. Kat and Tom have no interest in carrying the project on just by themselves. They've taken on the role 'as guardians for the community' to keep the site in the public domain. They are aware that the council would be happy to see the site being used by a business, following examples such as the Herringbone Restaurant, which uses the former public toilets in Royal Terrace Gardens on London Road. Other such examples include the Toll House at Canonmills. Many regard such projects as denuding the public domain. The most controversial example was the effort to turn the former Royal High School, just along the road from the Regent Road Bowling Green, into a hotel. That project was eventually blocked, but illustrated the pressures on the council to seek large injections of money from offloading public assets. Those at the drop-in session on Saturday all seem to share a desire that this would not be the case with the bowling green. So many possibilities Kat and Tom have to be able to prove that whatever project emerges is financially viable. If this could be established (alongside community use), the council would happily 'bow out and leave us to it'. At present, a steady trickle of income comes from some local businesses who make use of a small car park which is part of the site. Kat notes that 'we could charge more', but that having people using the site regularly helps keep the site used and monitored. The need to keep the place checked had been emphasised the day before when Kat's husband had discovered a dead body in one of the huts. According to the police 'The death is being treated as unexplained but is not believed to be suspicious'). A sobering moment for all concerned. The areas around the sheds were taped off but this was also because the sheds are in a rather dilapidated shape. However, Kat and Tom believe they could be restored and repurposed. Tom himself brings joinery skills and feels that, though the structures on the site are not in good condition (including asbestos in one of them and leaking roofs), bringing them back to life is 'all doable'. One model to follow is that of Leith Community Croft (on the western tip of Leith Links), which has done a fantastic job of bringing life to abandoned tennis courts and restoring an old sports pavilion there, turning it into a superb community space and café. A community café is high up on Kat and Tom's initial set of proposals, although they are open to alternative ideas from those who join them. There are, as Kat put it, 'so many possibilities'. One of the sheds had to be removed last year as it had become dangerously unstable. But the footprint of that structure could be built on as part of the project, adding an extension to one of the sheds. Magnificent views The key asset is the bowling green itself. It's a fantastically sheltered green space, surrounded by banks thick with vegetation. At present, only the local rabbits have access (the way I saw one of the rabbits chasing off a blackbird suggests that the rabbits feel they now own the place!). On days when the haar isn't hanging over the city, the bowling green offers magnificent views towards Arthur's Seat. It must be one of the finest urban views in Europe. Fundamental to the project is that this site cannot be built on; it must be preserved as a green space. The green is also a substantial size, so could be put to multiple uses. Tom has the idea of some sort of sculpture at the centre, with the four quarters of the green used for different purposes. Some raised beds for gardening and fruit growing (there is some concern about the soil under the grass, given the amount of fertiliser applied to the bowling green over the decades), a children's play area and perhaps one quarter used for pétanque, a sport which is growing in popularity. Examples in the city include Ferranti Bowling Club in Inverleith Park. One advantage is that pétanque is played on hard dirt or gravel, much easier to maintain than a manicured bowling green. For Tom, pétanque would be a nice way of paying homage to the previous occupants of the green by 'keeping the bowling vibe going'. For Tom, the place should also have a 'healing' character, making use of the well-established positive impact that gardening -and simply being in calm green spaces- has on mental health. This aspect has been emphasised in a number of other community projects; recognising that those who live in tenements have limited access to green space. This was also mentioned by many of those in attendance on Saturday, who were very keen to see the space publicly accessible, not 'privatised'. Political support Lorna Slater was among those in attendance. As a local resident she commented that she regularly walks past the bowling green and had wondered what its status was. She was 'really excited' to see that efforts were being made to make it into a community space, aware of the limited green space that tenement dwellers in Abbeyhill have. Ms Slater offered her support to the project and told Kat and Tom that she would 'tap into the resources of the Parliament' to assist the project with grant applications and the like. Assisting projects such as this, which can 'get stuck' was, Slater emphasised, 'something that MSPs can do'. It seemed clear from Saturday's event that substantial support exists for a community- based future for Regent Road Bowling Green. The task now is turning that support into creating a team that will take responsibility for developing a plan, seeking funding, and managing the green towards the aim of community ownership. This committee's work will be essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the bowling green as a community asset. Those interested in further information and getting involved can contact the project at: [email protected] Like this: Like Related

Daily Mirror

8 hours ago

• Daily Mirror

Wife pays huge £20k fee to access her bank account after husband dies from Covid

Nicky Wake, who lost her husband in 2020, was left grieving, solo parenting and trying to run a business, all while being forced to fight the financial burden that became emotionally overwhelming When Nicky Wake lost her husband, the last thing she was thinking about was finances. But during the heartbreaking midst of grief, she faced the devastating financial burden and had to pay out £20,000. Nicky, 54, from Manchester and founder of tragically lost her husband, Andy, on April 17, 2020, due to COVID-19 while he was in care. It came just a few years after Andy suffered multiple heart attacks that led to a catastrophic brain injury. He was sadly left completely incapacitated. ‌ From 2017 to 2020, Andy was unable to walk, talk, or care for himself and required round-the-clock specialist care in a nursing home. It was during this time that he caught COVID-19 and sadly died. ‌ While under specialist care, Nicky said she was left in "limbo" as she was unable to access their joint bank account. Adding to this, Nicky and Andy were co-directors in their events and management company, but she was unable to secure full access. This meant Nicky couldn't manage the business or pay herself dividends. Andy had not appointed a legal or digital executor, prepared a will, or set up a power of attorney before his illness and death. "It was an unholy mess", Nicky shared exclusively with the Mirror. "All of our life savings were in one account. Basically, it's entirely my fault because I spend far too much on shoes, so he was the money man. He kept all of the savings in his ISA. He joked that it was for a rainy day, and that day happened in 2017. "It was pouring down and I couldn't access our savings when I needed it the most. I was solo parenting our son Finn (now 17 years old), struggling with child care, while my husband was critically ill in hospital with no prognosis of a happy ending. His consultant said to me, 'your story does not have a happy end', and at the same time, I was worried about the financial implications." While Nicky had her own current account, she relied heavily on the savings account and was left financially stranded at the worst possible time. "We used that account to buy our son school shoes and his birthday presents every year", she said. ‌ To regain control of their finances and the business, Nicky had to fork out over £20,000 in legal fees. Even after regaining control, she was obliged to account for every expenditure to the Court of Protection. The entire ordeal was emotionally shattering and a colossal burden during an already heartrending time. Nicky said: "Even though the money was jointly mine, I had to detail every penny of that in a heartbreaking report. So when I was fighting the biggest battle of my life, trying to stay alive, I was bashing needlessly. ‌ "It was the most trying and horrid of times. I understand why the Court of Protection is in place, but it drove me to despair and the worst of all scenarios. "I did CPR for 40 minutes to keep him alive, and at times the Court of Protection made me wish I hadn't, and that is a terrible and awful burden to carry." She added: "It is my fault, we should have had those grown-up conversations and we should have got a power of attorney in place, but we didn't." Nicky didn't gain full access to their business until her husband had passed away. ‌ In addition to this, Nicky was unable to access his social media accounts - a place where he had long connected with friends. She struggled to guess passwords through tears and wholeheartedly wished she could inform his friends about his condition and share regular updates with ease. Contacting customer service representatives on social media platforms was "impossible". Nicky added: "Every other day, a Facebook memory pops up with Andy, it's a beautiful yet heartbreaking reminder. ‌ "I would have loved to have created a post for the love of Andy and put that on his account, but I never got the chance to do that." Another gutwrenching blow saw Nicky lose messages sent from her beloved husband. She shared: "I lost every WhatsApp conversation I had with him, and you don't understand how heartbreaking and painful that is. Not being able to go back and look at those memories. "You need to back those up, save your WhatsApp conversations. It was something I had to experience." ‌ Nicky is now urging everyone to keep an updated will, establish a power of attorney, designate legacy contacts for all digital and social accounts, back up crucial chats like WhatsApp to the cloud, and keep a secure, accessible record of account passwords. "There are a lot of important assets we need to keep and treasure," she shared. "We need to be having those difficult conversations, but we don't talk about it enough. You don't think it's going to happen to you, but then it does." ‌ Reflecting back, she added: "It was heartbreaking, horrible, kind of limbo. I felt like I was fighting battles on every front. To have to deal with admin, lack of access, financial worries, on top of a life-changing tragedy, was beyond belief. I used to wake up and couldn't believe what had happened to our beautiful family, I still don't." Following this time, Nicky was inspired to launch a platform designed to help others like her - widows and widowers - in finding companionship, love, and hope following profound loss. Research Manager at SunLife, Jordan Flynn, shared: "If you're thinking about leaving instructions for your funeral or writing a will, it's a good time to leave clear instructions for your digital estate. Not doing so can mean loved ones are locked out of important accounts or left unsure about whether to memorialise, delete, or manage your social media accounts. ‌ "Some people may like the idea of their profiles and photos remaining online for loved ones to remember them by. But others are uncomfortable with these accounts being visible when they're no longer around to manage them." Offering advice, Jordan shared her top five tips on how to take control of your digital legacy. Digital executor "Appoint someone you trust to manage your online accounts and digital assets when you die. This can be the executor of your will or a separate person with digital know-how." ‌ List online accounts "Make a comprehensive list of all your online accounts, and make sure you include everything from social media and email to online banking, cloud storage, and entertainment services. If you have appointed a digital executor you won't need to list all your passwords, just the username or email address associated with each account." 'Legacy contact' "Most major platforms have a specific feature where you can appoint someone as your digital executor within your account profile. For example, Apple has a 'Legacy Contact', Facebook also has a Legacy Contact, and Google has Inactive Account Manager – it is something you have to opt into, so make sure you have taken the necessary steps." Document digital wishes clearly "You need to make sure there is evidence of what you want to happen to your digital legacy – there can be no grey areas. Clearly state whether you want accounts deleted, memorialised, or passed on, and who should receive sentimental content like photos or videos." Store instructions securely "You need to make sure your wishes are securely stored – ideally, include your digital instructions in your will to ensure they're legally binding. Alternatively, you can store them with your solicitor or in a secure place known to your executor." Jordan added: "Preparing for your digital legacy is no longer optional in the internet age. It's a simple step that can save your loved one's unnecessary distress - and ensures your online identity reflects your wishes, even after you're gone." "SunLife's Digital Wishes Pack ( includes everything you need to know about listing online accounts, deciding what should happen to each one, and leaving clear instructions for loved ones – download it for free today."

Wales Online

20 hours ago

• Wales Online

The incredible deli hidden in Cardiff city centre with holiday in the Med vibes

The incredible deli hidden in Cardiff city centre with holiday in the Med vibes If you want to embrace the joy of southern Italian food, long lunches and a friendly atmosphere then look no further Gloria Serena Arcerito, originally from Sicily is the owner of Khione (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) If you've not tried out Khione Sicilian Delicatessen in Duke Street Arcade in Cardiff, you're definitely missing a trick. Italy is my ultimate favourite destination to travel to, partly because of their different attitudes to food and they have the cutest little shops which are way more fun to browse in and pick up your daily essentials than the standard UK supermarket. But as I found out recently, you don't actually have to travel to Italy to soak up the glory of Italian food culture. ‌ Khione first started out running at the market in Pontcanna before opening up in Canton and they have now been operating in the city centre for over six months. Owned by Gloria Serena Arcerito, who is originally from Sicily, she started working on the business and idea during lockdown with the intention of bringing the experience of traditional Sicilian cuisine to Cardiff. ‌ All of the products at Khione are all carefully selected and shipped directly from Sicily itself. They're also produced by small businesses and farmers who believe in upholding the traditional family recipes many generations of Sicilians have grown up with. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here Gloria Serena Arcerito, who moved from Sicily seven years ago and has built up a thriving Italian business in the centre of Cardiff (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) Gloria moved to the UK seven years ago, and lived with a family in Wales where she learned to speak English. Article continues below 'It was hard at the beginning', she explained. 'I decided to do a full immersion so the family was a Welsh-English family. 'So the lady, Jenny, who's my friend and who owned the house, wanted to learn Italian so we taught each other. We created a community and they helped me start the business because they gave me space which I could use for storage. 'During Covid I also used to work at the City Arms - just because I still wanted to learn and be a part of it all.' ‌ Before meeting Gloria and speaking to her properly I tried out the food the night before to get a sense of how the business flows of a typical day and I fell in love with the atmosphere, décor - as well as the amazing flavours straight away. Olives, bread, lemonade and a pizza slice from Khione (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) I arrived just before they were set to close at 6pm and as it was a hot summer's afternoon and went for olives and bread which was totally perfect, and a great, light evening snack. ‌ Inside, the vibe is warm and welcoming, and the space invites you to experience a slice of Italian culture in a mix of ways. Downstairs is where the shop sits, where you can stock up on proper Italian food. The décor and layout definitely makes you feel like you've been transported to a Sicilian village rather than the arcades of Cardiff, and when you're browsing through the different products and ingredients - I'd say you feel much more inspired to get creative in the kitchen than picking up food from a chain store, so it acts as a simple reminder of how nice it is to support small businesses. You can look out onto the arcades from some of the seats (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) ‌ But if you thought that Khione was just a shop then think again. You can also order from their wide-ranging menu and be served food upstairs, where they have one of the loveliest, homiest dining spaces I've come across in the city - or you can dine on the seating located outside the deli. The olives were zesty, with loads of flavour and it was genuinely the best bread I'd eaten since stopping at a deli I haven't stopped thinking about in Ventimaglia, in Italy itself. My partner got a small slice of pizza which was in his words 'a delectable choice for a quick bite and actually very filling', and we both opted for bottles of lemonade which were lovely, and tasted gorgeously organic. Also on the menu is a selection of Italian favourites including Pinsa Romana, Tiramisu', Honey and pecorino cheese, full size pizzas and much much more. ‌ Upstairs in Khione Considering how food is central to her identity and culture, and what it means to her to bring something she is so passionate about to Cardiff, Gloria said: 'My Dad had a company producing preserves, so my dad and the rest of my family are very into food. 'I used to help my mum when she was cooking and making desserts and I would help make cakes or tiramisu. So I just learned by watching. ‌ 'It's nice to cook for the family, and eat together as a family. For example at lunch time we'd always try and wait for each other, of course that's not always possible. There are some gorgeous corners inside the deli which create plenty of room for warmth and connection if you're eating there with friends or family (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) 'Nowadays it's not always easy if you work all day but if you have a break in the day to get everyone together and talk about what's going on it's a way to release stress and reset for the other half of the day. ‌ 'There is maybe a bit less of that in life day to day. Even in the north of Italy, people work all day, finish earlier but there is no break. 'In the south, people are still taking a little break, one hour or two is a way to reset.' But could these values be picked up by people in Cardiff? Gloria has also found that because of the way the business runs in Cardiff, it might already be encouraging people to slow down a little. She explained: 'Some people who are coming in do seem to be staying a little longer than just for a quick lunch. ‌ One of Gloria's goals for the business is to provide a range of authentic Italian food to people in Cardiff and build more connection with what they are eating (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) 'We do serve pizza and paninis to take away. Maybe the fact it is a shop it's slightly confusing, and not just somewhere you go to eat. People are surprised that you can come in and especially go upstairs, where there are completely different vibes. 'The idea is if you want to come here and have a nice lunch, or take home and prepare a dinner if you have a special event, or even daily with the tomato sauce - someone else took care of the food for you, so you can have a nice meal, quicker.' Article continues below