News

HSBC has pledged to keep all 327 of its UK branches, including seven in Scotland, open until at least 2027. Underpinning this promise is a substantial £55.8 million investment earmarked for the coming year, representing a 30% increase on the £42m spent in 2025.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has urged the Scottish Government to use January’s Scottish Budget to protect small businesses facing significant non-domestic rates rises. Some of the stalwarts of local high streets, including independent pubs and post offices, are facing huge rates r

Hollywood Burgers & Shakes, a popular Edinburgh-based diner chain, has launched its first West Lothian branch as part of a strategic expansion. Situated on Mid Street in Bathgate, this new venture marks the company’s third Scottish outlet and has generated half-a-dozen jobs for the local a

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has urged UK politicians and regulators to adopt a holistic approach to business oversight, warning that the cumulative weight of red tape poses a significant threat to enterprise. In its response to Unlocking business: Reform driven by you,

FRP Advisory has achieved a 3% increase in profit before tax to £18.3 million for the six months ending 31 October 2025. The accountancy firm also reported a 12% increase in revenue to a record £87.1m. Underlying adjusted EBITDA rose by 3% to £23.0m.

Morrisons has been faced with a substantial £17m tax liability following a High Court defeat against HMRC regarding the application of Value Added Tax (VAT) on rotisserie chickens. The ruling determined that whole cooked "cool-down" chickens are subject to the standard 20% VAT rate applicable

The CyberScotland Partnership has announced the addition of three new Partner organisations: Business Gateway, the Institute of Directors (IoD) Scotland and the Cyber and Fraud Hub. The announcement comes as preparations begin for CyberScotland Week 2026.

Aberdein Considine LLP has appointed contractual recoveries specialist Shilpi Jairath as operations director with its multi-award-winning lender services practice group. Based in the growing firm’s Newcastle office and with over 22 years of experience in contractual recoveries across consumer

Ahead of January’s Scottish Budget, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce has urged the Finance Secretary to deliver a pro-growth package of measures that restores business confidence and strengthens Scotland’s competitiveness. SCC Chief Executive Liz Cameron called on the Scottish Governmen

A Scottish clean-tech company developing small modular wind turbines that can be deployed in almost any location has secured £865,000 in seed funding, led by TRICAPITAL Angels. Myriad Wind Energy Systems, based in Stirling, has developed a patented, crane-free wind technology designed to open

Wbg has advised landlords to anticipate the introduction of a higher income tax regime for property income in Scotland. The recent UK budget announced a new, separate higher income tax regime for property income which will apply in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland from April 2027. This change do

BGF-backed digital product consultancy hedgehog lab has acquired Label Sessions – the Edinburgh-based global innovation network – for an undisclosed sum. The deal creates a unique full-stack innovation consultancy, combining the strength of Label Sessions’ methodology and network o

James Fennessey and Blair Milne of Azets have been appointed as provisional liquidators for 1Stopwind Limited following a winding-up order issued by Paisley Sheriff Court. As a result of the court order, the registered office for the Scottish wind farm maintenance company has been transferred from i

The Bank of England has delivered a pre-Christmas boost to borrowers, cutting the base interest rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%. This reduction, which brings rates to their lowest level in nearly three years, was driven by a deteriorating labour market and signs that price rises will continue to sl

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced an expansion of its efforts to improve standards within the home and travel insurance markets.