Business First

Business First Northern Ireland's business address. Visit us at www.businessfirstonline.co.uk on your computer, tab
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We are award winning publishers of membership magazines in Northern Ireland. If you would like to get in touch, then you can do so by visitng our website (www.businessfirstonline.co.uk), send us a Tweet (), or contact us on Facebook.

Upstream ABL, the Belfast-based Structured Asset Based Lending (ABL) specialist, has partnered with renewable energy pro...
17/11/2025

Upstream ABL, the Belfast-based Structured Asset Based Lending (ABL) specialist, has partnered with renewable energy project developer Strategic Power Group (“SPG”) to help create some of the largest solar and battery developments in Ireland.
Upstream ABL
The multimillion-pound investment is one of Upstream ABL’s largest to date and is the latest in a series of high-profile financing arrangements for the company since it announced £150 million in funding from London’s Pollen Street Capital, following a management buyout (MBO) earlier this year.

Having bought out a London investor earlier this year, SPG will deploy the finance to further develop its pipeline solar PV and battery storage facilities, including one at Swordlestown, Co Kildare which will be capable of producing enough power to provide clean energy to 20,500 homes in the area.

Upstream ABL has partnered with renewable energy project developer Strategic Power Group

Sumer Northern Ireland, which joined Sumer Group, one of the UK’s leading mid-market accountancy practices in June of la...
17/11/2025

Sumer Northern Ireland, which joined Sumer Group, one of the UK’s leading mid-market accountancy practices in June of last year, has confirmed ambitious growth plans with staff headcount set to grow by 100 over the next three years.

Since the acquisition, the Belfast-based firm has increased its headcount by 20%, now employing 130 staff across all levels, which has enabled the firm to enhance its capabilities in specialist areas such as innovation tax reliefs, forensic accounting and audit.
Sumer Northern Ireland
Boasting a team of engineers with technical knowledge in a range of areas such as biomedical science and mechanical and chemical engineering, Sumer NI is also heading up Sumer Group R&D services across the UK and also currently has one of the fastest growing audit teams in Northern Ireland with over 60 staff.

Sumer Northern Ireland has confirmed ambitious growth plans with staff headcount set to grow by 100 over the next three years.

Cookstown -based audio-visual specialists Rea Sound AV has achieved an extraordinary double victory at the UK AV Awards ...
17/11/2025

Cookstown -based audio-visual specialists Rea Sound AV has achieved an extraordinary double victory at the UK AV Awards 2025, becoming the first company from Ireland to win in two categories at the UK’s most prestigious celebration of excellence in audio-visual design, integration, and innovation.

The awards were held at London’s Evolution venue before an audience of more than 1,400 industry leaders, recognised Rea Sound AV’s transformational work with Mid Ulster District Council and McConnell’s Distillery in Belfast.
Rea Sound AV
Competing against global projects from Europe, the USA, and Asia, Rea Sound AV triumphed in both the Public Sector Project of the Year and Corporate Project of the Year categories, marking an historic milestone for the local business, underpinning their growing reputation for world-class AV innovation.

Cookstown -based audio-visual specialists Rea Sound AV has achieved an extraordinary double victory at the UK AV Awards 2025

The Mums At Work Elevate Your Business event will return to Belfast this Thursday.Following on from the success of their...
17/11/2025

The Mums At Work Elevate Your Business event will return to Belfast this Thursday.

Following on from the success of their annual conference at the Tullyglass Hotel in Ballymena in March the Belfast event will once again highlight and celebrate the incredible work of businesswomen across Northern Ireland.

The Elevate your Business showcase was designed with working women in mind to enable them to make valuable local connections in business, increasing their brand visibility and opening doors for growth and referrals.

The Belfast instalment will take place in the Rita Duffy Suite at the Merchant Hotel on Thursday November 20 from 6:30pm.
Mums At Work
Mums at Work was founded by Sinead Norton, a mother of seven and a passionate entrepreneur who wanted to create a network of women in business to form a supportive and uplifting community across all industries.

Sinead tragically lost her battle to Pancreatic cancer in November 2023, but left a powerful legacy behind.

The Mums At Work Elevate Your Business event will return to Belfast this Thursday.

For freelancers, managing finances effectively is crucial for success and you’re often on your own in this department. A...
17/11/2025

For freelancers, managing finances effectively is crucial for success and you’re often on your own in this department. A dedicated business account is the foundation and a decision not to be taken lightly as it provides clarity, professionalism, and simplifies your processes, including tax returns and invoicing.

Most freelancers are specialists and didn't set out to become finance experts, marketing gurus or HR professionals, but it's all part of the job!

With the rise of digital-first challenger banks, freelancers now have a wealth of options, each with its own unique set of features and fee structures. This post provides a comprehensive comparison of four of the most popular choices for UK-based freelancers: ANNA Money, Tide, Monzo, and Starling Bank.

We will delve into their fees, key features, and the speed at which you can get started, helping you make an informed decision to open a business account for your business.

A dedicated business account is the foundation and a decision not to be taken lightly

The chill in the air isn’t just seasonal—it’s fiscal. All signs now point to a tough Budget from Chancellor Rachel Reeve...
17/11/2025

The chill in the air isn’t just seasonal—it’s fiscal. All signs now point to a tough Budget from Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who appears to have little choice but to raise taxes again as she seeks to balance credibility with constraint, writes Ross Boyd, Founder and Director, RBCA Chartered Accountants

The heavily trailed shift in tone from the Treasury, referencing “tough decisions” and “restoring stability”, signals what many in business already feared: that higher taxes, particularly on income and wealth, are now inevitable. With public debt at historic highs and limited scope for borrowing, Reeves faces the same uncomfortable equation that has haunted her predecessors—how to fund public services the government desires without derailing growth completely. Some would say it isn’t possible. Especially if we all recognise the obvious point here. Growth comes from the private sector, and no amount of public spending will change that.

Winter Is Coming. And So Are Taxes.

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About Business Firt

We are an award winning publisher of Northern Ireland’s business to business website. Our mission is to help Northern Ireland companies do business together and better. We bring your brand onto the desktops and mobiles of 15,000 of Northern Ireland’s business decision-makers to help you build your profile, your sales and your profitability.

If you would like to get in touch, then you can do so by visiting our website (www.businessfirstonline.co.uk), send us a Tweet (@bfonline), or contact us on Facebook.