Business West, the region’s largest business group, said many firms would “remain muted in their enthusiasm” for a Budget that failed to address the scale of the post-Covid challenges they face. The organisation, which runs the Swindon & Wiltshire Initiative, also claimed the West of England had again missed out when it came to...
Michael Blaken, head of accounts at Swindon-based Optimum Professional Services, which provides legal and accounting services to businesses, individuals and families, said there seemed very little in the Budget that hadn’t already been announced or that was noteworthy. The measures were generally aimed at helping people on low incomes, or businesses in specific sectors, Michael,...
Business groups have welcomed a number of measures in yesterday’s Budget but said Chancellor Rishi Sunak could have done more to encourage investment. The CBI, which speaks on behalf of 190,000 businesses of all sizes and sectors, described it overall as business friendly, with its director-general Tony Danker saying the Chancellor had shown a...
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has delivered his Autumn Budget and Spending Review. The main points are: Chancellor began speaking at 12:34pm Employment is up and wages are rising, he said. Budget prepares for a new economy post-Covid, he said. “An economy fit for a new age of optimism.” Higher inflation was a global problem, said the...
The potential of hydrogen to transform the West of England’s economy, from its transport to the way its homes are heated, is to be explored by a new consortium of businesses and universities. The group, which includes many of the region’s largest firms such as Airbus and EDF, was launched at an event at...
West of England businesses are warning that the economic recovery from the pandemic is at risk due to growing inflationary pressures and worker shortages. A third of the 250-plus firms taking part in the latest quarterly survey by regional business group Business West said they had to increase their prices due to rising input costs. ...
The South West’s key sectors could suffer irreparable damage unless the government starts to tackle the shortage of workers by easing EU visa restrictions, the region’s business leaders today warned. But even providing temporary visas for jobs such as drivers and food workers would only be a short-term measure and ministers must also come...
Aerospace and advanced engineering businesses from the Swindon area are being urged to attend the first major networking event for the sector in the South West since the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions. Organised by trade organisation the West of England Aerospace Forum (WEAF), SW Aerotech Expo will bring together keynote speakers, exhibitors and visitors...
The chief executive of Wiltshire green utility business Good Energy, one of the UK’s oldest 100% renewable power suppliers, today called for major reforms to the crisis-hit energy market as consumers face soaring bills and food shortages and rival firms teeter on the edge of insolvency. Nigel Pocklington, pictured, of Chippenham-headquartered Good Energy said the “risky approach”...
Staff from Wiltshire specialist inhaler firm Vectura have been barred from attending a pharmaceutical industry conference days after its controversial £1.1bn acquisition by tobacco group Philip Morris International (PMI). In an apparent rebuff by academics over the deal, Chippenham-based Vectura was stripped of its sponsorship of a major lung health conference due to take...
