Barclays has announced today that it will host an additional 100 Brexit clinics throughout October and November to provide support to customers amidst ongoing uncertainty.
The bank will focus on agriculture and manufacturing clients with the first wave of clinics, which will be hosted across the UK in local community spaces, bank branches and Eagle Labs, the bank’s co-working innovation spaces.
To help tackle the uncertainty, Barclays will also be launching a report at the clinics to showcase some of the most diverse rural businesses across the UK. The report shines a spotlight on how some farmers have diversified to build resilience.
The bank’s network of 1,500 relationship managers and industry specialists will host the clinics, with agricultural managers focusing on topics like trading relationships, the future of subsidy payments, agricultural policy, migrant labour, and exporting.
Thousands of invites will be issued over the following weeks to SMEs, farmers and corporate clients across the country.
Over a thousand SMEs attended the first 100 clinics in March as Barclays announced a package of support including on the ground relationship support and a £14billion lending fund.
Business and Industry Minister Nadhim Zahawi said:
“Our number one priority is ensuring businesses have the help they need to get ready for Brexit and take advantage of the opportunities beyond.
“These clinics are a welcome initiative, giving businesses across the agricultural and manufacturing sectors more face to face support and tailored advice on how to prepare, including what financing products are available to them.
“We have turbocharged preparations for Brexit and it’s great to see the banking sector play its part, complementing our own Brexit Business Readiness Events happening right now across the UK, where businesses of all sizes can get the advice they need from all relevant government teams in one place.”
Mark Suthern, National Head of Agriculture at Barclays Business Bank, said:
“By championing Britain’s most formidable farmers and bringing them together at our Brexit clinics, we hope to facilitate those discussions that will help enable farmers to navigate the changes the following months will bring, and most importantly, feel supported during this time of uncertainty.
“We continue to see strong lending demand from agriculture clients who are looking to invest in their core farming business or diversify, and with our £14 billion fund available, we want to encourage even more to follow suit.
“British food and farming is vital to our country and our team of expert relationship managers are here to help clients during this challenging time for the sector.”
The bank’s relationship managers also plan to make personal visits to thousands of SMEs throughout October as part of an ongoing initiative, and digital webinars will be hosted to assist those who cannot make it to a clinic.
More information can be found at: https://www.barclays.co.uk/business-banking/brexit/
