Ulster Banks £1bn For Business Lending

Ulster Bank is setting aside £1bn to lend to businesses across the island of Ireland in 2014.

The bank said it wants to hear from both existing and new customers, from micro enterprises to multi-nationals, which want finance to grow their companies.

“We know that many of our business customers view 2014 as a key year in terms of implementing growth plans,” Ken Murnaghan, head of Business Banking, Ulster Bank said. “Access to funding is essential to ensuring they are able to fulfil these ambitions.”

In addition the bank will host a series of support and networking events, ‘Ahead for Business’, to help companies in planning for 2014 and beyond. The briefings will include information on accessing finance, business planning and cash flow management.

They start at 7.30am with a sit-down breakfast on the following dates: Tuesday, February 4: Enniskillen, Killyhelvin; Thursday, February 6: Londonderry, The City Hotel; Tuesday, February 11: Cookstown, Glenavon House Hotel; Thursday, February 13: Lisburn, Lisburn Civic Centre; Tuesday, February 18: Belfast, Riddel Hall; Thursday, February 20: Ballymena, Adair Arms.

Registration is at www.ulsterbank.com /aheadforbusiness