In April 2023, key issues raised by Buckinghamshire businesses included:
- Closure of national chain stores: National closures of Prezzo and M&Co have affected Buckingham and Chesham high streets, leaving large premises empty and affecting the look of the town centres.
- Planning permission timescales: Businesses report that they have been struggling to receive responses to planning applications in a timely manner.
- Bounce back loans: The post-Covid repayment of large loans, such as the bounce back loan, is proving to be a challenge for some businesses.
- Cost of living: The cost-of-living crisis continues to affect the spending power of some consumers.
The above issues were highlighted to BBF by local businesses. BBF use this 'on-the-ground' intelligence to inform local business support activity, and share it with central government on a monthly basis to inform national strategy.
