FT: Most small businesses still quietly confident

By Jonathan Moules

Most company owners are confident about their future prospects in spite of ongoing problems such as limited access to credit, declining sales and rising costs, according to new research.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the UK’s largest business group by membership, found that 80 per cent of the 178 member companies it polled last weekend were either very confident or quite confident about their own operations.

However, only 36 per cent of those asked said they would be confident about starting a new business in the current economic climate, with 62 per cent stating that they would not.

“Anyone who goes into business on their own has to be has to be quite a strong character because it is not an easy path,” said Jane Walton, who has been buying and selling 20th century antiques for the last decade. She chose not to renew the lease on her West Sussex shop after the business rates were raised to £7,000 a year. (more)