大象传媒

An 82 million pound fund has been launched to encourage young people who want to set up businesses instead of going to university; last week the Nationwide said it would be lending working capital to small businesses for the first time and 12 towns have been picked by Mary Portas to pilot themselves out of the economic doldrums.
As the government struggles to come to grips with the alarming currents of the global economy what chance does small business or local economic initiatives like Portas Towns have of making a dent in the deficit, never mind hauling the economy back into growth?
On Call You & Yours we're asking if our small businesses are made of the right stuff; do they really know how to come up with the goods after decades of manufacturing decline or are we kidding ourselves? What can we learn from other nations and are there types of businesses we should support more than others. Call us on 03700-100-400 before ten, 03700 100444 after ten, or email us via our website at www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours ; leave us a message or a name and number where we can call you back.