A Wiltshire racing stables with gallops regarded as among the finest in the country has been sold to successful trainer Emma Lavelle with backing from HSBC. Ms Lavelle secured the seven-figure finance package from the bank to acquire Bonita Racing Stables in Ogbourne Maizey, near Marlborough. The stables were previously owned by trainer Peter Makin and...
Fast-growing pet insurance firm Animal Friends is to open a base in Swindon, taking space in the first speculative office scheme in the town since the recession. The Amesbury-based firm, which describes itself as an ethical insurer of dogs, cats and horses, is to move into the newly developed 6,000 sq ft Links House...
The Festival of Female Entrepreneurs returns to the West of England next month for its fifth year, with a jam-packed programme featuring amazing entrepreneurs and inspirational start-ups. Among those taking part will be Julie Deane of The Cambridge Satchel Company, tech entrepreneur Alex Depledge and Oliver Bonas founder Oliver Tress. Panels will cover subjects...
The Festival of Female Entrepreneurs (FFE) is on the look-out for up-and-coming female business talent to enter its annual awards as it prepares to return to the West of England for a fifth year. The FFE, organised by small business support group Enterprise Nation, stages its high-profile annual event at At-Bristol on October 21....
Influencers UK, the organisation that inspires good people to create good businesses, is to hold its biggest bootcamp outside London this year in Swindon next month. The Influencers Business Bootcamp will bring together world-class thinking to inspire business owners and start-ups. The free event on October 6 at the Hilton, Swindon, will feature Influencers founder...
West of England chartered accountancy firm Monahans, which has offices in Swindon and Chippenham, has appointed Richard Brooks as partner specialising in private client tax. Richard, pictured, has joined the firm after spending 16 years leading the largest private client tax consultancy practice in the Channel Islands, where he specialised in providing UK and international tax...
By Donna Kehoe, the Bank of England’s agent for the South West of England. These days most of us are used to paying with ‘plastic’. And now that is true even for some of the purchases we make with cash. This week a new £5 note featuring the image of former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill...
Accountancy group EY has appointed Chris Eastman as a corporate finance director in its South West office as part of its expansion plans across the region. Chris, pictured, started his career in 2002 at rival PwC in Bristol, where he was a member of its audit assurance and advisory team, before moving to Deloitte four years...
Swindon accountancy firm PPS Chartered Accountants has promoted Sally Holland to partner. Sally, pictured, was the firm’s first trainee when she joined aged 19 in 2001 after completing her A-levels. She started her chartered accountancy studies later that year at Reed Business School, passing her final exam in 2006 and receiving the ACA (Association of...
Confidence among West of England firms has slumped to its lowest level since 2012 as they continue to react to the EU referendum, according to a new survey. The latest quarterly ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor (BCM), which gauges how businesses view the economic prospects facing them over coming year, shows confidence falling into negative...
