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After a Budget short of giveaways, the nation’s small businesses might think the old adage ‘there’s no such thing as a free lunch’ rings true now more than ever. Yet in a sign that industry is prepared to help where ministers can’t, or won’t, some accountants and lawyers are offering free help to firms to aid them through the recession. The ‘Big Four’ accountancy firms, joined by law firms like Addleshaw Goddard and Halliwells, have pledged staff time worth an estimated £250,000 to help the most hard-up firms. Their advisors are offering free two-hour sessions to struggling businesses, with a workforce of at least 10, to help them in accountancy, marketing and legal issues before it is too late. Run by Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the local council, the ‘Timebank’ scheme offers all firms in the area access to advice, with tailored support on offer to qualifying firms. But it is not the only freebie turning the heads of business owners: workspace group Regus said it would donate one year of office space to the winner of a Sun newspaper competition. Three months of rent free office space is also on offer to eight runners-up of the competition, launched by the paper to find Britain’s best local business with prize money of £1,000. Travelex, a foreign exchange firm, made a more enticing offer this week for firms eyeing exports, saying it would give 50 euros in free money to all new small business customers. It joins a list of firms signing up to a Daily Mail campaign, including Avis, which is giving away 1,500 car rentals, and Ibis-owner Accor, which is offering 5,000 free hotel stays worldwide. The package of free overseas hotel rooms and car hire, complemented with help on foreign cash, is made more appealing to would-be exporters thanks to a pledge by British Airways. Having approached UK trade and investment, BA is laying on 4,000 international flights, worth £15m, so its UK-based small to mid-sized customers can go about winning contracts abroad. As with all the 'giveaways', firms are advised to check the restrictions, such as ownership and turnover, to determine their eligibility before contacting the company for an application. May 5, 2009 Email this article Printer friendly page Previous Page
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