The private client team at regional law firm Royds Withy King, which has an office in Swindon, is using online and mobile video links with clients to meet a growing demand for wills during the coronavirus crisis. By using platforms such Zoom, WhatsApp and Skype, the firm’s lawyers are also meeting the requirement of...
More than 40,000 businesses have sought advice and guidance on how they can survive the coronavirus pandemic from a special service set up by Business West, the organisation behind the Swindon & Wiltshire Initiative. Trading Through Coronavirus, which went live exactly a month ago, provides expert information and guidance to businesses as well as...
Thrings’ commercial property partner Fionnuala Nolan and property litigation partner Michael Tatters consider the impact of the recently introduced Coronavirus Act on commercial property owners, their tenants, funders and investors. The UK government has enacted the Coronavirus Act with the purpose of defending its people and economy against the accelerating threat of COVID-19. The...
Three-quarters of South West firms were hit by the coronavirus pandemic in the first two weeks of March, according to a new survey which also shows the outbreak has triggered a marked fall in businesses confidence in the region. Lloyds Bank’s Business Barometer – a monthly survey of more than 1,000 companies carried out...
The latest moves by the government to support businesses, including relaxing the insolvency laws and removing some red tape, have been given the thumbs up by the region’s largest business organisation. Business West described the measures, announced by Business Secretary Alok Sharma on Friday evening, as sensible steps that would help protect companies weakened...
Swindon businesses needing up-to-date information, advice and guidance to help them trade in the current unprecedented market conditions are being encouraged to turn to a new web portal launched by Business West, the region’s largest business organisation. Called Trading Through Coronavirus, it aims to help businesses navigate their way through the crisis by enabling...
National business organisations have welcomed the government’s drastic measures putting the country into virtual lockdown in a bid to combat the rapid spread of coronavirus. The CBI said the action presented “great challenges” while the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said it made it even more vital that support for businesses was delivered quickly. ...
The South West TUC and Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, have jointly welcomed the latest government measures to tackle the economic and jobs crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. But in a joint statement they slammed the regional response as “too slow . . . fragmented and inconsistent” and called for further...
Pubs, cafes and restaurants must close down this evening, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced, as Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a massive package of measures to support businesses and their workers. The government is to pay 80% of wages for employees not working, up to £2,500 a month, Mr Sunak said. Companies and organisations...
The Bank of England has cut interest rates to 0.1% – their lowest level ever – as it attempts to deal with the economic fall-out from the coronavirus pandemic. The move is the second emergency cut in just over a week prompted by the outbreak – last week the rate was reduced from 0.75%...
