Confidence among South West businesses continued to rise in December after a surprise recovery the previous month – with firms ending the year in a rare upbeat mood. The latest monthly Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking reveals firms reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up 15 percentage points at 34%. Taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 10...
Bath’s Forest of Imagination contemporary arts and architecture festival, which brings together many of the city’s creatives, has won a prestigious national award. The annual pop-up event for all ages, now in its 10th year, topped the ‘one off activity – children’ category of the Inspire Future Generations (IFG) Awards. The festival, which brought...
World-leading action to help tackle the climate emergency by cutting emissions from buildings will be taken by Bath & North East Somerset Council this year in a link-up with the University of Bath. The council will draw on the pioneering expertise of the university’s academics to bring in a cutting-edge set of sustainable construction...
A Bath construction specialist is helping identify new markets for an award-winning cycle storage business after it was hit by Brexit red tape and the economic downturn. Dan Grimshaw, pictured right, who lives in Hinton Charterhouse and owns London-based design and construction firm Beam Development, is mentoring entrepreneur Andrew Lang, whose business Cycloc is...
Water2business, the specialist retailer co-owned by Bath-based Wessex Water, has extended its partnership with UK-wide café chain Coffee#1 for a further two years. Having set up the agreement two years ago, Water2business will continue to provide water and wastewater services to 84 of Coffee#1’s 100 sites. The firm’s dedicated account management team will continue...
Bath Building Society has promoted its head of business change Steve Burnard to the new role of chief transformation officer as it enters its busiest period of change in its 119-year history. The society, which has more than 20,000 savers and 1,200 mortgage customers, said its focus this year would on digital transformation. Steve,...
Guests at Bath’s Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa will be able to take to the skies and enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the city as part of a luxury hot air balloon experience and package starting this spring. After soaring high above Bath’s famous landmarks, guests will be able to relax with a glass...
Each week Bath accountancy firm Pearson May and Bath Business News team up to bring you the top national finance stories. More than 3,000 tax returns filed on Christmas Day 22,000-plus self-assessments were submitted between 24 and 26 December. Click here to read more Slow retail growth expected for 2023 The number of shop closures hits a five-year high. Read...
FinTech West, the advisory body for the region’s burgeoning financial technology industry, has appointed two new members to its advisory board in a move to help mobilise more firms in the sector in the South West. The appointments of PwC director Katharine Adlard and NatWest senior relationship manager Louis Spencer, pictured, will enable FinTech West to...
The British Business Bank, the government’s economic development funder, has appointed former professional rugby player Edward Tellwright as a senior manager covering the South West. Edward, pictured, brings many years’ experience of working with smaller businesses in the region to access finance outside of his playing career with Sale Sharks, Rotherham and Jersey. He started...
