Buoyant Burberry hands back government cash

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Feb 15, 2021

Burberry has become the latest British company to pay back government money it used during the Covid crisis last year. The company has reportedly repaid a £300 million Bank of England loan a little earlier than it needed to. 

The money was borrowed under the Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) and was paid back in the last few days, a report in the Sunday Times said. And Burberry will also reportedly repay around £7 million it received in business rates relief.

A number of profitable companies have paid back money in recent months, including business rates relief and furlough cash, with public opinion being very much against wealthy companies taking public money.

Burberry said: “We believe this is the right thing to do in the context of our improved third-quarter trading performance and financial stability, secured through rigorous cash management and the introduction of long-term funding via our sustainability bond.”

Its ability to repay the loan and the business rates is supported by its recent performance, helped by factors such as stronger e-commerce sales and a bounce-back in markets like China.