Nearly half of all small shops in the South West could be forced to close down without business rate relief, according to a major new report into the state of the region’s high streets. Business rates remain a “huge burden” on small retailers, says the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which commissioned the research. ...
A charity campaign to raise vital funds to improve access to Bath’s vital parks and green spaces has signed up its first key business partner. Your Park Bristol & Bath launched the Reimagining Parks scheme in May following a report that revealed a third of the population across the two cities struggle to access their local park. ...
Drones capable of spotting wildfires from high in the sky and flying robot taxis carrying fire-extinguishing robo-dogs to quench the flames with sound waves may sound like sci-fi – but one Bath firm is hoping to make them a reality. Fire detection firm Optect is helping develop the futuristic system to tackle the ever-increasing threat of...
More than £11m has been lent to start-up firms across the South West ranging from a sewing café to a mobile cocktail bar over the past year under a programme run by the British Business Bank. Since its launch in 2012, the Start Up Loans scheme has supported more than 9,000 businesses through £90m in loans...
Global defence consulting firm BMT is to relocate its Bath staff to the city’s No.1 Bath Quays office building, making it the third firm to take space in the flagship development. BMT, which has two offices a stone’s throw away on Lower Bristol Road, joins financial services consultancy and software provider Altus and chartered...
The West of England’s economy is forecast to grow faster over the next five years than any other part of the UK outside London, according to two new reports. The region, along with South Wales, will achieve economic expansion of 1.4% a year between now and 2029, according to the analysis commissioned by the...
Measures included in the King’s Speech aimed at boosting housebuilding and devolving more powers from Whitehall to the regions have been widely welcomed by key business figures in the West of England. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill – one of the 40 included in the speech that will shape the first year of the new...
Bath is in the running for the prestigious title of Best Small City in the UK, Europe and Beyond in a major national awards scheme. It was chosen as a finalist by a panel from the Academy of Urbanism, a not-for-profit organisation committed to creating, sustaining, and learning from great cities, towns, and neighbourhoods,...
The CEO of Bath’s oldest charity, St John's Foundation, is to step down after six years in the role. David Hobdey, pictured, who retires later this month, joined the community organisation, which 850th anniversary this year, in 2016 as finance director. He became CEO two years later and in 2020 was instrumental in launching...
The new government’s pledge to devolve more powers from Whitehall to the West of England offers “a really exciting opportunity” for the region, according to the organisation behind Bath Chamber of Commerce. Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, said the move could trigger more jobs, homes and infrastructure as well as better transport...
