The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on the economy – and businesses of all types have felt the strain.
In April 2020 alone, a quarter of UK companies closed and May saw the country enter its worst recession for many years.
Various levels of restrictions, ranging from lockdowns to the tier system, have resulted in businesses struggling to stay afloat.
However, one Manchester-based firm has set a mission to change all that: Areande.
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How Areande is making a difference
Areande helps businesses across Manchester and beyond to claim research and development tax credits.
This incentive – also known as innovation tax relief – was introduced by the government in 2000 to encourage companies to innovate.
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R&D tax credits allow businesses to claim a cash payment or a reduction in their tax bill for a variety of costs spent on innovative projects.
Founded during the pandemic, Areande’s singular goal is to “simplify the claims process and help as many firms as possible”.
As multiple sectors started being squeezed by the pandemic and social distancing measures, Areande was set up to provide innovating businesses with a “vital lifeline”.
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Spending money developing or improving new products, services, or processes qualifies you for tax relief – with many companies eligible for cash payments or tax bill reductions.
You can determine whether you’re eligible for tax relief for your innovation here.
Partnering with Areande
Scott Graham / Unsplash
Areande also runs a partnership programme for individuals and businesses searching for an additional source of income during a financially challenging time.
Areande offers a lucrative referral programme for their partners, allowing companies to make money for sending potential claimants their way.
Explaining the partnership programme, Areande stated: “We use a rigorous approach with a built-in quality assurance system, ensuring we uncover all eligible R&D costs. Our experts do all the hard work; partners need only send clients our way and wait for their reward.
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“As a partner, you’d also have access to a dashboard where you can monitor earnings in real-time and easily export data for reporting. You would also have the pleasure of seeing your clients power their businesses forward, achieving – and even exceeding – their growth plans by claiming Areande. Partnering with Areande could provide many benefits to both you and your clients.”
Research and Development Expenditure Credit (RDEC), also known as above the line R&D tax credit, allows larger companies to reclaim tax for their innovation.
This incentive is worth 11p for every pound spent on qualifying R&D activities.
Areande saves its clients from having to deal with HMRC and pledges support for almost all industries; with members of its team from agriculture, pharmaceutical, medical supplies, research, property, construction, financial and technology backgrounds.
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The company stated: “We use a streamlined and technology-driven process that can take businesses from claim to cheque in a matter of weeks SMEs, whether they are profit or loss-making, can claim up to 33p for each £1 they’ve spent on innovation.
“We have helped thousands of businesses across the country claim back millions from HMRC, with an average claim value of £53,714 for SMEs and £600,977 for large companies. We have a streamlined process; we handle everything so you can focus on innovating.”
With the money received from Areande claims, businesses have managed to increase their incomes, expand their operations and recoup some of their COVID-19 losses.
In the current climate, local businesses need a boost – and Areande is providing exactly that.
You can apply for R&D tax credits online here.To learn more about what Areande are doing to support the local economy, visit their website. You can sign up and see if you’re eligible online.
Business
City Football Group strike landmark deal with Sony for series of TV shows
Danny Jones
Manchester City’s owners have struck yet another big commercial deal ahead of the 2024/25 season, announcing a new collaboration with Sony to produce a number of original TV series.
Confirmed on Wednesday, 23 July, the deal between the City Football Group (CFG) and Sony Pictures Television will see the entertainment corporation create various TV productions for Man City and the other clubs owned by the limited company as part of a new global partnership.
While it marks the third multimedia crossover of its kind they’ve had with an entertainment-led brand, having first worked with Amazon on their All Or Nothing series and then Netflix for the Treble Winners documentary, this deal will see Sony become an official partner of Man City.
City Football Group (CFG) and Sony Pictures Television have inked a new deal encompassing original scripted, nonfiction, and kids’ television projects. The collaboration will see CFG’s media creative production unit and expertise in sport pair with SPT’s production capabilities… pic.twitter.com/LmagHBMG2b
Although exactly how lucrative the deal itself is yet to be disclosed, as per an official statement from the club, the partnership will see Sony “co-develop and produce new original scripted, nonfiction, and kids’ television projects for worldwide audiences.”
The announcement goes on to state that “as well as scripted and unscripted series, projects can also include one-off documentaries, animated projects, or children’s programming.”
Given that CFG has stakes in 13 clubs across Europe, South America, Asia, the United States and Australia – most notably Girona, New York and Melbourne City, French club ES Troyes AC and Italian side Palermo – TV shows created could ultimately go on to feature teams other than just City.
With the holding group also currently developing the Etihad Campus even further by expanding the stadium capacity and adding new leisure additions such as a hotel, museum, rooftop bar and stadium ‘sky-walk’, this is just the latest step in a series of big commerical steps for Man City.
Moveover, as the CFG are also heavily invested in the recently opened Co-op Live arena – which is inextricably linked to the football club located just a stone’s throw away – the City franchise looks to be moving closer and closer to becoming not just a football club but fully-fledged lifestyle brand.
Commenting on the launch of the collaboration, CFG’s CEO Ferran Soriano said: “We are incredibly excited to be collaborating with Sony Pictures Television [SPT] in this joint initiative.
“City Football Group is already a global entertainment company, and this initiative builds on our long-standing track record of innovation in the content space and the growth of City Studios in the last years. We will now take an even more dynamic approach to content production, and we are already developing several scripted and nonfiction series that will delight audiences globally.
“Bringing together the expertise of both CFG and SPT will enable us to create brilliant shows and remain at the forefront of football-led content production.”
SPT’s President of International Production, Wayne Garvie, went on to add: “Football is the great global game, no other sport produces so many heroes, tears and laughter, joy and heartbreak as football […] but the game always evolves and over the last decade City Football Group have become an unprecedented innovator and global leader.
“Our aim is to be part of the next evolution of the game, creating a new generation of innovative football-based entertainment to thrill the world.” It’s still unclear as to when the first of these new football-related TV shows will start rolling out but given the success of previous ventures they’re sure to prove popular.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/ykanazawa1999 (via Flickr)
Business
Popular coffee chain Blank Street to open third Manchester site at the Trafford Centre this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Popular coffee chain Blank Street is gearing up to open its third Manchester site at the Trafford Centre this weekend.
After becoming a common feature down in London, with sites now serving coffee lovers in all four corners of the capital, Blank Street went on to take Manchester by storm earlier this year as it opened doors to two cafes in our city centre – one in Piccadilly Gardens, followed by one on the corner of Cross Street and King Street.
It’s fair to say that Blank Street has earned itself a pretty loyal customer base since opening the doors to its first site back in 2022.
And those loyal customers will soon have a new Greater Manchester location to head on down to.
Popular coffee chain Blank Street is opening its third Manchester site at the Trafford Centre / Credit: Trafford Centre (via Facebook) | Blank Street (via Instagram)
The stunning new Trafford Centre site means Mancs will have another place to get their Blank Street coffee (or matcha) fix from, and not only that, but they’ll also be able to try out the new summer menu too – which apparently includes some of the brand‘s most “refreshing” offerings so far.
The new summer menu sees Blank Street move away from the classic milky base of its renowned Matcha Lattes and experiment with new flavours and lighter textures to provide an “instant hit of sunshine” regardless of the classic Manchester weather.
The Mango Passionfruit Matcha, Watermelon Matcha Spritz, and Yuzu Matcha Spritz are just some of the new menu additions, while the best-selling White Chocolate Matcha also remains.
Ignacio Llado, who is Blank Street’s UK Managing Director, says the company has been met with “such a warm reception” in Manchester already, and has been “so excited to hear that Mancs want more Blank Street locations.
“We’re so proud to announce that our third store will be at the iconic Trafford Centre,” Ignacio added.
“We’re excited to hopefully be fuelling shopping trips and hangouts with friends with our famous matchas and classic cold brew.”