Bank sets aside £3 billion to lend to region’s firms to grow and invest
Lloyds is making over £3 billion of new finance available to businesses across the East of England to grow and invest in 2026 as part of £35 billion of new finance for UK firms the bank is planning this year. It comes as a business barometer from Lloyds shows that 87 per cent of East of England businesses have a ‘clear view’ of their biggest growth opportunities. Firms see investing in their workforce, developing new products or services and entering new markets as their leading growth drivers over the next six months. Kirsty Sadler, regional director for the East of England at Lloyds, said: “Whether it’s supporting a small company taking its first step into exporting, or a larger firm scaling up to meet growing demand, we’re committed to helping businesses turn their potential into growth.” One manufacturer in the region, Newmarket-based, family-run Caps Cases, recently secured £1.8 million from Lloyds to invest in new machinery that boosted production from 5,000 to 15,000 boxes an hour and reduced carbon emissions by a tenth.
Norwich security firm acquired by former medical doctor and rebranded
A Norwich-based security firm SSY (Security Solutions Yes) has been acquired by a former medical doctor and serial entrepreneur and rebranded as “Hawthorne”. Dr Andrew Threadgold, the new co-owner and director of Hawthorne, said the acquisition provides a platform for focused, long-term growth. “SSY built a strong operational foundation over two decades,” he said. “Our aim now is to strengthen Hawthorne’s position in sectors where reliability, compliance and system resilience are essential, particularly in environments such as data centres where uptime is critical.” The business delivers CCTV, fire detection and access control systems to commercial and private clients across East Anglia and nationwide. Dr Threadgold’s business interests span healthcare, property and hospitality. He said security and fire protection represents a natural extension into essential building systems and infrastructure resilience.
Photo (l-r) Ashely Smith (engineer), Kristian Chase (engineer), Leanne Osborne (general manager), and Andrew Threadgold (owner).
Housebuilder explores plans for new 3,000-home development in Essex
Housebuilder Bellway has unveiled plans for a development of up to 3,000 homes with schools, shops and leisure facilities in Southend-on-Sea. The firm is exploring plans for two interconnected villages on land to the north of the city, which could form part of a wider scheme of up to 10,000 homes. It is estimated that a project of around 3,000 homes would generate around £18.75 million in infrastructure funding and potentially support over 10,000 jobs. Bellway Strategic Land has submitted a request for an environmental impact assessment scoping opinion to the city council and Rochford DC. Jamie MacArthur, regional planning director for Bellway, said: “Southend urgently needs new homes to meet local demand, improve affordability and give people the opportunity to remain in the communities where they grew up and feel connected. These proposals would deliver a wide range of both affordable and market housing for people at all stages of life, including family homes and later-living properties.”
Nominations open for awards which recognise private SMEs
Nominations are underway for The Private Business Awards 2026 which are open to private or PE-backed companies in East Anglia with a turnover of over £10m. It is the second year of the national awards programme, sponsored by BDO, which recognises mid-sized businesses that drive economic growth. Chris Atkinson, partner at BDO in East Anglia, said: “We have long championed ambitious private companies that are the backbone of the UK economy. These businesses account for around 5.7 million companies, employ 27 million people and generate £4.5 trillion in annual turnover – they are the engine that will drive our economic growth at a scale that merits significant recognition. East Anglia is a fantastic place for these businesses to thrive and succeed, with a mixture of family businesses and VC or PE-backed businesses being critical to the growth in the region.” Winners at last year’s inaugural awards (photo) included Cambridge-based Cycle Pharma, and Jacyn Heavens, CEO of Norwich-based EPOSNow. The 11 separate business of the year awards are for: tech; VC or PE-backed; social impact; scale up; digital transformation, female business leader; CFO; CEO; growth business; family business and private business.
Cambridge event spaces to be showcased at IWM Duxford
Businesses in Cambridge are being invited to explore the city’s unique event spaces at the ‘Meet Cambridge Venue Showcase’, at IWM Duxford on Thursday 5 March. Bringing together multiple venues, attendees will have the chance to discover different types of event spaces that Cambridge has to offer – from the historic colleges and academic venues to conference centres and leading hotels. Guests can expect tips and guidance on hosting sustainable and EDI focused events. Jen Townsend, founder of 12 Degrees, will share practical advice for planning successful business events. An inclusive tour of the museum airspace is also included. To secure a spot, fill out the form here or for more information on the showcase go to the Meet Cambridge website.
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