Fewer than one in five West of England businesses have confidence in the UK's economic outlook this year, according to a new survey – yet almost two-thirds are optimistic about their own prospects. Key challenges identified by firms in the region as 2024 gets under way are interest rate levels and labour shortages, according...
The West of England needs to come up with some “big, bold ideas” this year if it wants the government to treat it as a regional powerhouse similar to the North and Midlands, the leader of the region’s largest business group has said. In his New Year message, Phil Smith, managing director of Business...
Supply chain problems that were holding back deliveries to customers of Bath manufacturer Rotork earlier in the year are now easing, the group has said. Rotork, which designs and makes flow control equipment for the international oil, gas, water and chemical industries, had been hit by worldwide bottlenecks, including a major shortage of microchips...
Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, voiced its disappointment that, once again, the West of England had been overlooked when it came to major government spending commitments. Its director of policy Matt Griffith, pictured, pointed out the region had failed to be selected as one of the government’s investment zones – “the second time...
West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris attacked Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement for failing to tackle key, long-standing issues for the region The Labour mayor, pictured, who leads the West of England Combined Authority, said: “After 13 years of Conservative Government, the question West of England residents will be asking at the next...
Bath business leaders have reacted to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement. Ed Rimmer, pictured, chief executive officer of Bath-headquartered alternative funder Time Finance, welcomed the business tax relief. "What businesses needed from today’s Autumn Statement were conditions for growth and while there is clearly more to be shared on the Chancellor’s measures to boost...
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has delivered his Autumn Statement. The key points were: The statement included 110 measures to boost the economy by £20bn a year, according to Mr Hunt. All alcohol duties frozen. Benefits to go up by 6.7% next year, based on the inflation rate for September. Increase in State pension by 8.5% to...
A trailblazing scheme aimed at funding innovative creative tech projects from the Bath area has been launched for the fourth year running. The Studio Innovation Fund has backed a range of pioneering projects ranging since its start – last year these included using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create art and building low-tech robots from...
International healthcare group Alliance Pharma has appointed two new non-executive directors to strengthen its board and support its growth strategy. The Chippenham-headquartered business, which owns a portfolio of consumer healthcare products ranging from stomach ulcer treatments to anti-dandruff shampoo, said Eva-Lotta Sjöstedt and Richard McKenzie would bring significant experience to group. Alliance holds...
Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, has helped cut through the red tape hitting temporary exporters by arranging the world’s first use of a digital Carnet. Since Brexit, the number of ATA Carnets – or ‘passports for goods’ – needed by exporters has risen significantly for UK-based companies. These paper forms require numerous physical...
