London, England -- (SBWire) -- 03/21/2011 -- Government financial policies will have a major impact on business growth in London over the next five years warns a survey carried out by London First, on behalf of Avanta Managed Offices.

The survey of more than 500 office space clients at Avanta business centres across central and greater London, asked questions on topics ranging from taxation, transport and immigration to determine the greatest challenges to London’s ongoing success over the next five years.

Whilst the mood of respondents was fairly positive in relation to their own business expectations, 44% singled out government spending cuts as well as high levels of taxation as being the biggest challenges facing businesses located in the capital. The second biggest challenge facing Londoners during the next five years is transport (25%), with the fiscal and ongoing costs of rising employment (18%) and the on-going costs of employment (12%) being singled out.

In addition, 15% singled out the availability of qualified or experienced staff as being an ongoing issue facing London-based businesses, whilst tighter immigration controls (11%) were also highlighted as an issue.
The survey also probed issues that are seen to be important to the success of the respondent’s own business and not surprisingly, some 27% cited planning policies which support business growth and development as being the main issue. However, whilst 21% said that effective employment laws were important, another 21% said that they want to see health & safety regulations that are not overly restrictive.

“The respondents taking part in this survey are not only a typical cross section of the types, and sizes, of businesses located in Avanta business centres, but also a typical cross section of businesses residing in the Capital,” comments Geraint Evans, Avanta’s Sales and Marketing Director. “So, whilst they are cautiously optimistic about their own future it is clear from the responses that ongoing Government financial, transportation and immigration policies are perceived as being the biggest challenge facing London-based businesses during the next five years.”

For further information, please contact:
Colin Peck, Gravitas Business Communications on 07802 606433 or email colinjpeck@aol.com
or Tim Xumsai, Avanta Managed Offices Ltd on 0203 008 6000 - www.avanta.co.uk

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Note to editors:
Avanta managed Offices was formed in 2004 by David Alberto. The company offers highly flexible, unbranded office space and meeting rooms, with advanced and competitively price technology, tailor made to meet the requirements of the occupier. In the UK it currently manages more than 650,000 sq ft of office space in prime locations in London, the Thames Valley and Edinburgh. It also operates one business centre in New Delhi, India and in 2009 formed a partnership with Regent Business Centers, which manage 13 locations throughout the US.