In summary
Spring has finally sprung in the West of Scotland, and our events programme is now in full swing! Our events line-up in March and April is: Tuesday 18 March in Lanarkshire; Thursday 27 March in Glasgow; Tuesday 1 April in Falkirk; and Thursday 3 April in Ayrshire. Our first Health, Fitness and Wellbeing event on 12 March was a great success too. We look forward to seeing you at one of these events!
Featured news and events
FSB Scotland urges small business support to boost apprenticeship uptake
FSB Scotland called for tailored support for small businesses considering taking on apprentices to help address the country’s skills gap. To mark Scottish Apprenticeship Week (3-7 March), FSB Scotland urged targeted Scottish Government support to help overcome the barriers which deter many smaller employers from hiring apprentices. In 2023, more than two fifths of small businesses in Scotland told our Big Small Business Survey that they did not feel confident they would be able to recruit the appropriately skilled staff they need – and early findings from our 2025 survey suggest that lack of confidence remains. Increasing the uptake of apprenticeships among small firms could help bridge that gap. FSB has been working with employers to highlight apprenticeship success stories to help show how some of these barriers can be overcome.
In other news
Glasgow Meet the ‘Real’ Buyer event 22 April
Glasgow City Council, Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership, and the Supplier Development Programme, invite local businesses and third sector organisations of all sizes to this free, in-person event, which will take place at the City Chambers, Glasgow. This Meet the Real Buyer event will provide potential suppliers with an opportunity to meet with the buyers and commissioners to find out if they are planning to buy their goods, services or works, and hear about upcoming contract, supply chain and sub-contracting opportunities in the Glasgow area, from public and private sectors buyers. The event will also be an excellent opportunity to network with other businesses.
Stirling's Visitor Levy consultation
In December 2024, Stirling Council agreed to start a period of public consultation to understand whether and how a visitor levy should be implemented in the region. The results of this engagement will help shape what any visitor levy would look like, and the resulting 'scheme' will be put to Council in December 2025 for a final decision on whether to introduce the levy. To make sure the proposals for the scheme meet the needs of Stirling's visitors, residents, and businesses - and make life better for everyone in the region - we are asking for your input. We want to know where you think any funds raised could have the biggest impact; how much you think it would be fair to charge visitors; and what our objectives for tourism in the area should be.
Still in the news
Confidence falls to four-year low among Scottish small businesses
Confidence among Scotland’s small businesses has fallen to its lowest level since the height of the pandemic, new figures from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reveal.
FSB’s Small Business Index (SBI) found confidence fell to -67.2 in Q4, 2024, its lowest level since Q4, 2020, when it stood at -69. The latest results represent the third consecutive quarterly slide in small business optimism north of the border, dropping from –41.2 in Q3 last year.
Glasgow City Centre Improvement Grant Fund
The Glasgow City Centre Improvement Grant Fund has been established to assist organisations and communities in Glasgow city centre to create meanwhile use spaces, deliver small projects, and undertake minor improvement works. The grant will fund proposals able to demonstrate a positive impact on the city centre, enhancing its attractiveness and inclusivity. The Improvement Grant Fund is designed to address two key issues: improving the look and feel of the city centre and finding productive uses for vacant property. The maximum grant amount will be £20,000.
More news and activity near you
Get in touch
Your FSB Development Manager for the West of Scotland is Hisashi Kuboyama. If you'd like more information about the topics above, or if you have news about this area that you'd like to share, please get in touch.
- email: [email protected]
- follow us on X: @FSBHisashiK
- follow us on Facebook
- connect with me on LinkedIn: Hisashi Kuboyama