Medical cannabis company Sativa, the firm behind the Goodbody Wellness retail chain, is poised to become a major player in the fast-growing international cannabinoid (CBD) market after signalling its intention to merge with a specialist Canadian business. Sativa, based at Beckington, near Frome, said the combination with CBD extraction and agriculture specialist Stillcanna Inc....
A new programme to help Bath’s small businesses improve their digital presence has been launched by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) as it expands its Growth Hub to help firms bounce back from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Trading Better Online programme has been developed in partnership with regional tech...
Bath firms based in shared offices or flexible workspaces, as well as B&Bs and guest houses, have only a few days left to apply for a grant up to £5,000 from a special business support grant. The Small Business Grants Discretionary Fund was established to support small businesses impacted by the coronavirus outbreak but...
An eight-point checklist to help owner-managers deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their businesses has been launched by the South West arm of insolvency and restructuring trade body R3. The organisation’s members, who include insolvency practitioners, lawyers, and turnaround and restructuring experts, work with business owners to mitigate and resolve financial...
The coronavirus pandemic has dealt a severe blow to confidence levels among South West firms – with the region now the UK’s least optimistic, according to the gloomy results of another survey. Overall confidence slumped by 16 points during the past month to minus 51% – an unenviable record for Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking’s...
Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, is launching a series of expert webinars and virtual networking events to help small firms bounce back from the impact of the coronavirus crisis. The webinars will address key practical issues and challenges facing firms as lockdown measures are eased while the online networking sessions will enable...
One of the government’s boldest and most effective interventions during the coronavirus has been the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (or furlough scheme). It is also, undoubtedly, one of the most important for businesses. Many businesses have suffered a massive shock to income, and furloughing has offered an ability to keep outgoings to a minimum,...
Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to extend the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to October will be a “huge relief” to firms in the West of England, according to the region’s largest business group. Business West, which runs Bath Chamber of Commerce, said its research showed the scheme, launched by Mr Sunak, pictured, in March,...
The devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic on businesses in the West of England has been highlighted again in the results of two more surveys – with one showing two-thirds of firms suffered a fall in orders while the second reveals productivity is down at 80% of the region’s small manufacturers. Unsurprisingly, confidence levels...
A family-owned garden centre group which celebrates its half-century this year is continuing to trade through the coronavirus crisis after securing funding from Barclays under the government’s business support scheme. Whitehall Garden Centres, which has its headquarters at Lacock, near Chippenham, was forced to close its three outlets at what would have been a...
