Business News Round Up (13/04/2026)
UK Government backs advanced manufacturing sector
£700 million has been pledged by the UK government to boost the advanced manufacturing sector, with a key focus on battery manufacturing. Battery manufacturers, auto firms and other advanced manufacturing SMEs across Britain will benefit from financial support which focuses on supporting the sector’s growth. The UK Modern Industrial Strategy is guiding the investment which is set to directly create 4,200 jobs, with many more supported across the broader supply chain. Business Secretary Pete Kyle, announced the update at Agratas (battery manufacturers) site in Somerset. Agratas is one of the businesses set to benefit most from the investment as the government have confirmed they will provide the business with a £380 million grant to support the development of their gigafactory – one of the largest in Europe.
https://www.digit.fyi/uk-government-backs-advanced-manufacturing-sector
Glasgow footfall bounces back after fire but business fears persist
Glasgow city centre is proving “remarkably resilient” after the recent fire in Union Street, according to new statistics. Glasgow Chamber of Commerce said the number of people in the city centre every day – including workers and shoppers – was back at normal levels and slightly up on last year. So-called “footfall” fell badly after the fire on 8 March, when train services and local bus routes were badly disrupted. A significant part of Gordon Street and parts of Union Street and Renfield Street remains closed off while work on the ruins continues. The fire destroyed a prominent Victorian building and forced the closure of neighbouring Central Station, the busiest railway hub in Scotland. Businesses directly affected by the fire – including those whose premises were destroyed and those unable to open because of road closures – are entitled to compensation of up to £25,000 from an emergency fund.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8jkr8e9jz7o
UK business confidence crashes to Covid-era lows as Iran conflict forces firms into survival mode
Britain’s finance chiefs have retreated into full defensive mode as the fallout from the war in Iran sends confidence tumbling to levels not recorded since the country was plunged into its first coronavirus lockdown more than six years ago. Two of the most closely watched barometers of corporate sentiment, Deloitte’s monthly CFO survey and BDO’s output index, paint a picture of a business community bracing for prolonged turbulence rather than plotting for growth. The message from boardrooms is unambiguous: conserve cash, cut costs and wait for the storm to pass. Deloitte’s survey places CFO confidence at a six-year low, with geopolitics once again cited as the single greatest external threat. The firm’s chief economist, Ian Stewart, said the Middle East conflict had delivered a genuine shock, dragging optimism back to the darkest days of the pandemic. For finance leaders accustomed to navigating uncertainty, the comparison is a sobering one.
https://bmmagazine.co.uk/news/uk-cfo-confidence-lowest-since-covid-iran-war
RSM: Edinburgh effect flatters Scottish hotel figures as energy crisis looms
The Scottish hotels sector proved resilient in February, with both occupancy and gross operating profits rising slightly year-on-year and bucking the trend of the wider UK market, according to the RSM Hotels Tracker. However, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and persistent cost pressures could hamper future growth of the industry. The data, which is compiled and produced by Hotstats and analysed by RSM UK, shows Scottish hotel occupancy rose from 69.1% to 72.2% in February year-on-year, but was relatively flat in the UK, rising from 71.7% to 71.9%. Gross operating profits in Scotland also rose from 15.3% in February 2025 to 17.6% in February 2026, while overall UK profits fell from 23.4% to 22.3% year-on-year.