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According to the FSB, a recent business survey showed 42% of 4000 small business owners could still be swayed by a convincing argument.

Apparently 52% of respondents didn't feel informed about the referendum.

Source: FSB - Small firms speak out 

Other than the news, have you had any information from any pro or against campaigns? Are you a member of a Tradebody or association that has offered any advice?

Personally speaking I've not heard from anyone. We've discussed it informally at network meetings with anecdotal facts and personal opinions, but no one has offered any official view points.

I did see a propaganda broadcast from UKIP on the telly, but I did think we would be get a flyer or information through the post or even an email.

So as business owners what do you think? Do you feel informed? Or are we being asked to vote on a complex issue that none us really understands the implications either way?

Action Fraud has received several reports in the last 24 hours from businesses who have been sent online extortion demands from scammers threatening a cyber attack. 

The scammers who call themselves the “RepKiller Team” have been sending emails to businesses across the UK demanding payment of between £300-£500 in Bitcoins by a certain date and time. 

If the demands are not met, the team have threatened to launch a cyber attack against the businesses and their reputation by automating hundreds of negative reviews online. 

The emails also claim that once actions have started, they cannot be undone. Although these scammers are currently calling themselves “RepKiller”, it is common for fraudsters to continually change and adopt new tactics – email names can be made and changed easily.

Alert: Businesses across the UK being extorted - www.actionfraud.police.uk

If you do receive an email and are worried, visit the Action Fraud website (select the above link) and it tells you what to do as well as provide an online reporting tool.

Last I heard he was still chasing owners, but will give him a nudge

From the 6th April 2016, the current dividend system of a notional 10% tax credit ends. It will be replaced by a new dividend allowance where everybody will be entitled to 0% tax on the first £5,000 of dividend income.

Source: HMRC

So those of us who take a minimal salary, but take a larger dividend payment will get shafted, once we go over £5k, and will pay 32.5% tax.

The argument on one side is small business owners have been getting away with out paying too much tax, and now the issue has been addressed.

The other argument (which is the camp I'm in) is that small business owners take huge financial risks in starting a business, deal with lots of administration hassle, stress and red tape, and a lot of us employ people, as well as feed the local economy by using subcontractors and all elements of the supply chain.

I saw a good argument that business owners were being taxed on success, as you can only pay yourself a dividend if you are in profit. Business owners are the last ones to get paid, and it seems one of the remaining perks to running a business is about to disappear.

So what do you think? Are you aware of the changes? 

What a great question!

No experience of this so someone like legalstop might wade in and give a better answer, but with my nosy google search, look at section 1 of the Licensing Act 2003:

Licensing Act 2003

LICENSABLE ACTIVITIES 1

Licensable activities and qualifying club activities (1) For the purposes of this Act the following are licensable activities

(a) the sale by retail of alcohol,

(b) the supply of alcohol by or on behalf of a club to, or to the order of, a member of the club,

(c) the provision of regulated entertainment, and

(d) the provision of late night refreshment.

I think they have got you by the short and curlies. The sale by retail alludes to the selling of unopened alcohol

A 97 year old man died at the weekend, who went by the name Eric "Winkle" Brown. Other than being a veteran of World War II, he also happened to be one of Britains (if not the) most respected and talented aviators.

His list of achievements are incredible, and after initially serving in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm as a fighter pilot, after his carrier was sunk, he did stints training pilots and developing aircraft carrier landing techniques, got seconded to Fighter Command, before becoming the Chief Naval test pilot.

His world record for aircraft carrier deck landings still stands (2,407), and he holds the world record for flying 487 different types of aircraft! He was also the first person in the world to land a jet aircraft on an Aircraft Carrier.

He was actually in Germany when war broke out and had to be smuggled out via Switzerland, and ending up interviewing many senior German figures during and after the war, including head of the German Air Force, Herman Goering.

He eventually retired from the military in 1970, and wrote many books recounting his experiences.

Image courtesy of the Imperial War Museum.

What an incredible character, and when you look at your own life, it does put things into perspective!

More info: Eric Brown - Wikipedia

Bunch of Bungalow burners

Ha, I started life as a leftie, as a truck driving squaddie  But I'd put myself as centre right now, more of a Blair Tory  I actually think Cameron is doing all right and 100% in favour of making the economy living within it's means. 9 out of 10 families claiming some sort of tax credit pretty much sums up a failed welfare system. 

But back to nuclear weapons, I'm also a realist. Unfortunately global politics dictate that there has to be a military balance, and that is nuclear weapons. By having 2 sides of an ideological divide having them, it will ensure they are never used.

Imagine a world where all Western Powers gave up Nuclear weapons, leaving the likes of Russia free to deploy and use smaller yield tactical nuclear weapons in say the Ukraine? What would be our response? Sanctions? Harsh words? The UN... 

Unfortunately these evil weapons create a paradox, that by having access to them ensures they will never be used.

My argument is that we can't afford them, not that we shouldn't have them. We are members of a military alliance, NATO, we already have joint NATO units, exercises and bases. Why not a joint NATO Nuclear deterrent. It would be at the fraction of the cost of independent deterrents, achieve exactly the same aim, and free up desperately needed budget to be spent on far worthier causes.

As for the UK just simply relinquishing it's deterrent and leaving it to the responsibility of others would put us on a dangerous and lonely course, which would no doubt damage or destroy any military and intelligence partnerships with the rest of NATO and leave us all a lot more vulnerable to terrorism.

I'd love to live in an utopian socialist world of peace loving people who look after each other, but unfortunately it doesn't reflect the horrible world we live in, or the nut job leaders of various countries and extremist groups who have a slightly different view 

That said Corbyn and his views certainly bring some interesting debate, and question the status quo, which is what the leader of the opposition is supposed to do. So good on him

In this modern world of drop shipping plenty of firms don't carry stock. With a slick website, drop shipping orders, and a outsourced call centre or VA handling calls, visitors will have no idea if you are operating from a back bedroom or canary wharf 

As the others said, 4 days isn't too bad, particularly if you are personalising such as engraving, gift wrapping etc.

Think big 

Unbelievable! 

Unfortunately it shows what a good currency reviews now are, and the lengths businesses will go to generate them!

Now leave me a review