South West accountancy and finance group Old Mill has recruited a further 26 trainees this autumn as it continues with its ambitious plan to become the fastest-growing practice in the West of England. The firm, which has offices in Chippenham, Wells, Yeovil and Exeter, announced a restructure a year ago with the aim of expanding by...
Solar energy and battery storage developer Luminous Energy has appointed a new chief investment officer as it approaches its 10th anniversary. Guy Lavarack, pictured, is an experienced investor and developer of energy and infrastructure projects with more than a decade in the renewable energy sector. In his new role at Corsham-based Luminous he will be responsible for raising finance for Luminous’ solar energy and battery storage projects to enable it to build out,...
The ‘mini-Budget’ that the government insisted wasn’t, in fact, a Budget at all, came at 9:30am on Friday 23 September and brought with it some significant, unexpected and – in some cases – controversial measures (not to mention a subsequent U-turn on one of the main policy changes announced), writes Pearson May partner Matthew Rutter....
Conservative MPs are going to make life for Prime Minister Liz Truss as difficult as their Labour counterparts did for Jeremy Corbyn when he was their leader, political columnist and broadcaster Ayesha Hazarika has told the region’s business leaders. Speaking at the South West CBI’s annual dinner, she predicted the political waters would get...
Fewer than one in 10 businesses in the South West have confidence in the UK’s economic prospects, with a record 73% fearful over the impact of inflation, according to new survey. At the same time the number of firms concerned about exchange rates has doubled, with a third of exporters suffering a fall-off in...
Time Finance, the Bath-headquartered alternative funder, has become an accredited lender under the government’s latest iteration of the Recovery Loan Scheme. Launched by the British Business Bank, the scheme is designed to help small businesses access finance to invest and grow. Time Finance, which specialises in asset, loan and invoice finance products, has been an...
Bath’s small businesses and their supply chains can get help to adapt to the new economic and regulatory landscape thanks to a £1.5m fund from the West of England Combined Authority. The Business Growth and Adaptions Grant, which opens for a second round of applications from 19 October, is aimed at enabling small-to-medium enterprises...
A global real estate investment management firm has acquired one of Bath’s largest student housing developments as the market shows no sign of slowing. Chicago-headquartered Heitman, which has operations across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, snapped up the 120-bed scheme on Lower Bristol Road from London-based Alumno Group in an off-market transaction. The scheme,...
A defence business that works with navies from NATO countries and allied nations has received an export finance facility worth £2.4m to expand further in international markets. Leafield Logistics secured the funding from the government’s UK Export Finance (UKEF) credit agency to free up its cashflow and support its growth. The firm, based in...
Mid-market private equity firm LDC’s South West team has completed three deals with a combined enterprise value of over £175m during what it called a “stellar six-month period” while also stepping up its support for local good causes. At the same time it has supported its existing portfolio in making significant steps to deliver...
