A MASSIVE proportion of company directors running East Lancashire's small businesses will make it their New Year resolution to ensure they survive to see the millennium, according to a new survey published today.

Research by finance specialist Alex Lawrie shows maintaining cashflow at a time when business confidence is low is the top priority, with 94 per cent resolving to keep a close eye on the purse strings too.

Concentrating on generating profit, increasing sales turnover and staying out of the red also feature in the top 10 business resolutions for 1999.

But it is not all doom and gloom for small businesses, with 18 per cent looking to expand in 1999 and eight per cent wanting to start exporting or increase current export activities.

Finance specialist Peter Rostron said: "With the growth in the economy predicted to slow to below one per cent in 1999 it is encouraging that small firms in the North are heeding warning signs by concentrating on cashflow and keeping a close eye on expenditure and outgoings.

It is good to see that small businesses are already prioritising for 1999.

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