Close Brothers Asset Finance has launched a free-to-use SME Data Hub, making available all research it has conducted – in partnership with Kantar research - since the start of 2016.

The company has been surveying SMEs for over a decade on a wide range of topics and it was felt that rather than archive the data, it would make it available to everyone, from researchers and students to journalists and finance professionals.

No-one has to sign-up or provide contact details to access the data. In addition, both graphs and tables of the data can be downloaded by users.

The only requirement the Close Brothers has placed on the use of the data is that it must be credited by the user as the source of the data.

Anton Nebbe (pictured), head of PR and Communications at Close Brothers, said: “We were sitting on many years’ worth of research, archiving it once we had issued our press releases and thought leadership articles. But coming from a journalism background myself, I knew there would be ongoing value in making the data freely available without the need to register, and I am delighted the business agreed with me.

“I do not know yet how the SME Data Hub will be used, but my hope is there is something there for everyone given we have the thoughts and opinions of thousands of business owners and senior members of the SME community dating back over four years.”