Strong trade links with the US could help the West of England’s small firms recover from the impact of coronavirus, the region’s leading business group has suggested. Business West, which runs Bath Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the start of formal post-Brexit talks between the UK and US on a future free trade agreement and...
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...
Debbie Boulton, a director at Bath accountancy firm Richardson Swift, looks at the need to start planning for the post-lockdown period as many decisions will need to be made before it ends. It would appear from the government’s daily briefing that we are slowly beginning the descent from the peak. However, it appears that some...
Business organisations have welcomed new measures by the government to help small firms survive the coronavirus pandemic, reflecting the fact that around half are being rejected for loans under the existing scheme. Business West, the organisation that runs Bath Chamber of Commerce, said Chancellor Rishi Sunak, pictured, had listened to complaints from struggling small...
Bath-based fitness subscription firm MoveGB has generated more £1m for the fitness, yoga and dance instructors across the country since launching its lockdown-inspired Move At Home service. In less than a month more than 40,000 classes have been streamed through the service and the number of classes and providers continues to grow by the...
Bath charities helping the city cope with the coronavirus crisis are benefiting from a share of more than £400,000 handed out in just a month by the West of England’s community foundation. Some £413,000 has been given in grants by Quartet since March 23. From a standing start, its Coronavirus Response Fund has helped...
Three Bath businesses are taking on the national 2.6 Challenge in aid of city charity Julian House to help people experiencing homelessness during the coronavirus crisis. Bath-headquartered law firm Royds Withy King, The Royal Crescent Hotel and advanced analytics company Actual Experience have signed up for the challenge, which takes place this Sunday, April...
Bath media group Future has given more details of how it is coping with – and in some cases benefiting from – the coronavirus outbreak as it also announced it had completed its largest-ever acquisition. The group, whose titles span technology and gadgets to hobbies and health, said among cost-saving measures it has carried...
Bath-based specialist online publisher SelectScience has helped thousands of scientists and scientific manufacturers from across the globe shrug off the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on international industry gatherings by inviting them to the world’s first Virtual Analytical Summit. With key events in the science industry calendar postponed due to Covid-19, the virtual summit...
It seems that everyone is talking about ‘furlough’ at the moment. But for employers, understanding the finer detail of what can and can’t be done is adding pressure to an already difficult situation. Mogers Drewett partner and head of its employment and HR department Sean McDonough answers some frequently asked questions. Q: What is...
