Wbg, one of Scotland’s leading independent specialist full-service accountancy firms, is urging SMEs to put themselves at the heart of their local communities and help generate thriving local economies to the benefit of the national economy.

The firm endorses the Scotland Loves Local Pledge, a commitment to prioritising local people and businesses by spending with them whenever it is possible to do so, spearheaded by Scotland’s Towns Partnership.

Wbg itself recently opened a new office network which sees it operate across six main locations, Aberdeen, Ayrshire, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Manchester, to better service local SMEs.

Strathaven resident Mark Mulholland (pictured above), partner in Wbg’s Business Advisory department, based in its new Lanarkshire office in the heart of East Kilbride town centre, said: “Business Improvement Districts are about businesses working together and investing collectively in local improvements the benefit to the businesses involved while contributing to the wider aspirations of the local residential community and growing the local economy.

Having an office in East Kilbride, staffed by locals, enables us to better serve our clients throughout Lanarkshire because we are readily available for them to drop in to discuss their issues at a local level while offering them a direct link to our Glasgow office which provides a comprehensive range of more specialised financial advice as and when required.”

Mulholland is an advocate of the 15-minute city urban planning concept whereby most daily necessities and services, such as work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure can be easily reached by a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or public transit ride from any point in the village, town or city.

He added: “It’s an approach that reduces car dependency, promotes healthy and sustainable living, and improves wellbeing and quality of life for locals and is assisted greatly by SMEs putting themselves at the heart of their local communities and helping generate thriving local economies to the benefit of the national economy.”