SWINDONBUSINESSNEWS

The new John Lewis at home store in Swindon has opened its doors for the first time to give a behind-the-scenes tour and offer a first glimpse at what it has to offer when it opens in the autumn. The store will focus on John Lewis's key markets such as furniture, homewares, furnishing accessories and electricals. The new development at the existing Mannington Road site represents a £7m investment and 39,000 sq ft of retail space, spread across two floors. Dominic Joyce, the John Lewis ... Read More

Swindon-based Premier Watercoolers, the UK’s leading independent service provider for mains-fed water dispensers, has released interim results showing a 45 per cent increase in profitability on the same period last year. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) for the six months to the end of June 2010, were £299,000, up from £205,000 for the same period last year. Turnover has increased by 29 per cent, from £1.5m to £1.9m for the same six monthly period. The results mean the company is firmly on track ... Read More

It is with the greatest sadness that Arkell’s Brewery in Swindon, one of the UK’s few remaining Family Breweries, announces the death of former chairman, Peter Arkell OBE.   Before joining Arkell’s in 1954, Peter flew Spitfires, Mustangs and Lysanders behind enemy lines during the Second World War, delivering and retrieving secret agents and provisions under cover of darkness. Peter, 87, passed away peacefully at home in Whelford, near Kempsford, Cirencester on Friday morning. He is survived by his wife, Anne (herself from brewing ... Read More

Over the last 12 months Swindon has witnessed the highest level of investment seen in the last 15 years, according to Alder King Property Consultants. A number of significant property deals have completed, creating new jobs for the town. These include the decision in June by B&Q to develop a new 796,649 sq ft distribution centre at the Gazeley G-Park, which represented an investment of £77.4 million and is predicted to create 500 new jobs to Swindon. In February medical products manufacturer Vygon secured ... Read More

A survey  in the south west of England indicates that ‘green energy’ jobs could be the key to leading the Westcountry out of the current economic downturn. The survey of over 200 businesses shows that over the last two years, despite the recession, the number of people employed in the renewable energy sector grew to over 5,000 – a 78 per cent increase. The survey, commissioned by Regen SW, found that there were now 5,100 people working directly in renewable energy. It also ... Read More

A new initiative to bring local authorities and residential landlords closer together has been launched by the Residential Landlords Association. Their ‘Local Authority Network’ is another move to involve local councils, share information and promote best practice. The network offers special RLA membership to local authorities – sparking a new level of relationship between council members, officials and approved landlords who let local properties. The local authorities get access to RLA training courses for their staff and local landlords, access to their consultants, speakers for ... Read More

The British Postal Museum & Archive (BPMA) is delighted to announce the appointment of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios LLP (FCB) as architects to develop their new centre, following a competitive tender process. They will now start work to restore and regenerate the Grade II* ‘At Risk’ listed building and create the BPMA’s new home in the historic former Great Western Railway Chain Testing Works in Swindon, Wiltshire. The new centre will provide full public access to the BPMA’s unique and fascinating collections, as ... Read More

Sentiment in the construction sector began to decline again in the second quarter of the year, as fears over the scale of public spending cuts and ongoing uncertainty about prospects for the economy hit the industry, says the latest RICS Construction Market Survey, published in August. Despite some encouraging signs at the beginning of the year, the latest data shows 20 per cent more surveyors reporting a fall rather than a rise in total construction workloads in the South West. This is in ... Read More

GWE Business West’s assessment of the Coalition Government’s first ninety days in power – has it been good for business? Set against the British Chambers of Commerce twelve clear policy challenges how well have the government performed? Overall we would say that there has been mixed progress – with excellent results in some areas, whilst other key barriers to business growth have not been addressed and remain a concern to our members: •            Need for greater clarity on local planning – in order to ... Read More

Gazeley, global provider of sustainable logistics, has been granted reserved matters planning approval from Swindon Borough Council for the proposed 796,649 sq ft B&Q distribution centre at G.Park Swindon, formerly known as the Triangle site. Adjacent to the A419, the strategically located regional hub will service B & Q stores in the South of the UK. The facility on Plot A of G.Park Swindon is estimated to have a completed value of nearly £70m, and will bring 600 jobs to the area once ... Read More