Chancellor Rishi Sunak is making his economic statement in the Commons. He said the government would do “all we can” to help prevent job losses in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The main points were: Government will pay £1,000 to businesses for each furloughed employee they bring back and retain until January. Cut in...
Business confidence has bounced back stronger in the South West than any other part of the UK, according to a new survey – but many firms remain gloomy and one in 10 expects to stay closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The monthly Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking had shown a huge...
A coronavirus business bounce-back campaign to encourage UK food and drink producers to break into overseas markets is being spearheaded by the South West’s largest business organisation. Hampers full of British artisan food and drink are being sent all over the world as part of the Business West-led campaign, which was chosen by government...
Clean energy group Good Energy has taken effective control of Zap-Map, the popular app for the UK’s 300,000 electric vehicle (EV) drivers in which it bought a minority stake last year. Chippenham-based Good Energy snapped up a 12.9% share in Zap-Map’s parent company Next Green Car in March last year for just over £1m...
An online service promising impartial financial advice for Swindon firms on funding options has been launched by Business West, the region’s largest business organisation. According to Business West, which runs the Swindon & Wiltshire Initiative, its Finance Hub will be free from confusing jargon or any hard sell, enabling businesses to decide what sort...
Business groups have cautiously backed the reduction of many coronavirus lockdown restrictions announced this afternoon by the Prime Minister. But they also warned that other measures to boost the economy were still needed to avoid widespread business failures and job losses. In a major boost to the West of England’s vital tourism and hospitality...
Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, has joined bodies representing business, education and employment in urging the government to rethink its controversial quarantine rules for travellers arriving in the UK. In an open letter to the home, foreign and transport secretaries, Business West, UK Hospitality, Universities UK and others argue that it was...
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...
