A HUDDERSFIELD-BORN businesswoman has been asked to advise the government on the cost of bank finance to firms.
Jan Fletcher, who grew up in Slaithwaite, joins fellow entrepreneurs James Caan, of TV’s Dragon’s Den and Shaf Rasul, who takes part in the online version of the show, in advising Business Secretary Vince Cable.
Jan, chairman of Harrogate-based property business Montpellier Estates, said: “Mr Cable asked me to be part of his Entrepreneurs’ Forum last year. This is to provide informal and personal advice on new business and enterprise policies. We met him in London at the end of January and I voiced my concerns over bank financing.
“I just don’t think that what we are hearing from the banks is being reflected on the ground. I raised a number of issues and have consequently been asked to meet the chief executives of the UK’s leading banks and join this small banking finance advisory group.
“I am delighted to do this on behalf of Yorkshire and the country’s hard-working business people.”
Jan and her colleagues on the advisory group will consider issues such as the availability of finance to small and medium-sized firms, the cost of business finance and relationships between the banks and businesses.
She is now speaking to business leaders and organisations to get their views to take back to the government over the next few weeks.
Jan has vast corporate finance experience and in 1994, she was named Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year and became Yorkshire Woman of the Year in 1995. In 1997, she was awarded an OBE.
