Hot 100 debate: Challenge and opportunity

Do the results revealed by the Hot 100 suggest Lancashire business is in good health?

People are feeling a lot more positive and willing to make investments. In the area where we are based we see development left, right and centre. New jobs are being created.

We’re seeing strong growth in the service sector and around manufacturing in particular.

There’s an investment in marketing to grow businesses.

Ken Shackleton: We supply boxes to manufacturers and since the Brexit vote we’ve seen positive growth throughout that sector.

In the last three months we have seen a slowing down in certain sectors. That could be cyclical.

That caution is because of uncertainty, because Brexit is almost upon us and people want to know what the deal is going to be.

Khalid Saifullah: It is affecting investment because we’re not sure exactly what the outcome is going to be and what the deal is going to look like. There’s hesitancy in terms of how far to invest.

We can’t make that decision. You have to press the pause button and eventually that will affect growth.

• See the full debate in Lancashire Business View #81