More than 200 advanced engineering firms and digitally-innovation small and medium-sized enterprises from across the West of England are to gain access to expert support and advice through two new ‘business acceleration hubs’ The University of Bath.has been awarded £1.5m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to deliver start-up, scale-up, open innovation and...
Confidence among small business owners in the South West has bounced back thanks to lower inflation, progress on Brexit talks and the Chancellor’s positive Spring Statement, according to a survey published today. The report by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) – Britain’s biggest business representation group – also reveals a two-year high in...
Swindon-based presentation skills trainer, commentator and motorsports enthusiast Chris Dawes is steering his career along a new path by joining the board of Castle Combe Racing Club. Chris, pictured, runs Open Dawes Training – a company providing CPD (continuing professional development) accredited training in public speaking and presentation skills. A lifelong lover of...
Alison Edgar – the sales and customer service trainer known as The Entrepreneur’s Godmother – has retained her crown as one of the country’s top 10 business advisers and gained a new title as the UK’s number one adviser in sales and marketing. Alison, pictured, who is also managing director of Chippenham-based Sales Coaching...
Entrepreneurs have until Thursday of next week to enter the prestigious Institute of Directors South West Director of the Year Awards, the region’s top accolades for boardroom excellence. Three new categories have been added this year, taking the total to nine and giving directors more chance to claim one of the top awards. The...
Expert insights into sales and marketing, team engagement and building a business into a saleable asset will this Friday show how to take their business to the next level at an event aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises. The South West Business Growth Summit is being staged by ActionCOACH, the world’s number one business...
Swindon business experts have been reacting to yesterday’s Spring Statement, with most pointing to what Chancellor Philip Hammond failed to deliver rather than what he said. Dominic Bourquin, pictured, corporate tax partner at accountants MHA Monahans, whose Swindon office is one of eight across the West of England, said Mr Hammond couldn’t be accused...
Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, welcomed Chancellor Philip Hammond’s assertion in his Spring Statement that he would continue to “support British businesses” – but it insisted that his actions had to speak louder than words. The £80m pledge to help small firms take on apprentices and the opening up of the construction...
CBI chief economist Rain Newton-Smith said the Chancellor was rightly backing British business to secure the UK’s future prosperity in a new economy. “It’s great to see an upgrade in the state of our public finances and rightly sensible to set more aside for a rainy day with Brexit uncertainty still weighing on the...
Key points from today’s Spring Statement: Next spending review will take place in 2019 UK economy grew by 1.7% in 2017 OBR has increased forecast for growth next year but downgraded those for 2021 and 2022 Investment programme of £44bn to raise housing supply to 300,000 a year by the mid-2020s. Extra £1.7bn to...
