• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Tuesday February 24 2026

Lloyds announces £2.5 billion new finance commitment for South West businesses

Over £2.5 billion of new finance is being made available to businesses across the South West in 2026, helping them grow, invest and create new jobs.

The finance commitment forms part of Lloyds Banking Group’s plan to make over £35 billion of new finance available to companies operating and investing across the UK in 20261.

New research from Lloyds Business Barometer reveals 83 per cent of South West businesses have a clear view of their biggest opportunities for growth.

Businesses identified investing in their workforce, developing new products or services, and introducing new technology as their leading growth drivers over the next six months.

Amanda Dorel, regional director for the South West at Lloyds, said: “Lloyds Banking Group is proud to make £2.5 billion of new finance available for local firms in the South West, helping them grow their businesses, invest in innovation and create new jobs.

“Whether it’s supporting a small company taking its first step into exporting, or a larger firm scaling up to meet growing demand, we’re committed to helping businesses turn their potential into growth.”

Firms across the South West are already benefitting from Lloyds’ support. Bristol Beer Factory (pictured) recently used £1.2 million of financing from Lloyds to open a new brewing facility that has doubled production capacity and created new jobs.

Sam Burrows, managing director at Bristol Beer Factory, said: “This expansion is about more than just brewing more beer, we’ve also been able to make improvements across the board – benefitting our people, community and planet.

“We’re continuing towards our goal of being a leading brand in the city that is known for doing right by the community we operate in.

“This new brewery means we can better respond to a positive trend in customer demand while also increasing our ability to deliver social value-driven projects like “Brewed to Give”. We’re excited to see what the future holds.”