BUSINESS REPORT


BUSINESS REPORT


Businesses in Milton Keynes posted stable results in the face of economic and political uncertainty at the end of 2019. Nationally, there was weak growth at the end of the


year but the results from Milton Keynes Chamber of Commerce’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) showed during the same period businesses in the city were actively recruiting and remained confident about the future. The findings for Q4 of 2019 also showed nearly 90%


of Milton Keynes firms which responded to the survey saw their domestic sales and orders increase or remain constant. However, Milton Keynes businesses did report a slight drop in overseas activity and nearly 60% of those surveyed, who tried to recruit in Q4, said they struggled to find suitable staff. Milton Keynes Chamber chief executive Paul


Griffiths said: “The results of our latest QES shows the resilience and positive attitudes of the business community in Milton Keynes. “Nationally, at the end of last year our economy


experienced weak growth. Businesses experienced a drop in consumer demand and export sales and indicated they were less likely to invest in the coming months. “During the same period businesses in Milton Keynes had stable results, actively recruited and


MILTON KEYNES CHAMBER keeps its members up to date with all the latest business news. Whether it’s through the pages of this magazine, our website or regular email updates, we will always endeavour to keep you in the picture and informed


POSITIVE REGION STILL LOOKING TO FUTURE


business confidence in the area continued to be high.


“However, our findings did show that the


country’s persistent economic uncertainty forced businesses in Milton Keynes to be hesitant with capital investment. “Enterprise is the lifeblood of the UK


economy and if dramatic change is not enacted businesses will halt investment in recruitment – to the detriment of growth. “We will feed these conclusions to key


local, regional and national policymakers and call on the Government to recognise that businesses need support and encouragement in these turbulent times.” Milton Keynes Chamber’s QES is


part of the biggest and most representative survey of its kind in the UK. QES data is used by the Bank of England to inform interest rate decisions, by the Treasury to help formulate economic policy and by international finance institutions to assess the UK’s economy.


For the full report visit www.chambermk.co.uk/ representation/ quarterly-economic-surveys


‘LATEST QES SHOWS THE RESILIENCE AND POSITIVE


ATTITUDES OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY’


THE QES FOR Q1 WILL BE LIVE FROM 17 FEBRUARY TO 9 MARCH. Visit www.chambermk.co.uk to participate.


4 inbusiness FEBRUARY/MARCH 2020


Pointing the way: The Pyramid of Light in Campbell Park, Milton Keynes


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36