Boosting skills and developing the physical and digital infrastructure will be vital for South West to build back better from the economic ravages of coronavirus, the CBI said today in a major new report. Called Reviving Regions, the paper highlights long-standing regional inequalities across England which have inhibited growth, opportunity and productivity for generations. These economic disparities, both...
Swindon firms trading in Europe have been told that it is ‘almost too late’ if they have not planned for a worst case scenario following the end of the Brexit transition on January 1. The 50-day countdown to that date was on Wednesday and Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, fears many firms...
The Covid pandemic has reduced levels of economic activity across the UK this year. Households and businesses have generally been spending and investing less than they were before the pandemic struck. This fall in spending and investment risks significant job losses as many businesses face much lower demand for their goods and services. Although...
The Institute of Directors South West has named Robert Lloyd Griffiths OBE as its new regional director, replacing Simon Face, who had been in the post since 2003. Robert, pictured, will perform the South West job alongside his existing role as the IoD’s national director for Wales, a position he has held since 2009. He...
Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, has welcomed the latest extension to the governments’ furlough scheme, but urged Chancellor Rishi Sunak to come up longer-term measures to protect firms. Mr Sunak, pictured, this afternoon announced the furlough scheme would now run until the end of March, with the Treasury continuing to pay 80% of...
The new lockdown measures announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson over the weekend will be devastating to many Swindon firms despite their best efforts to make themselves Covid-safe, the region’s largest business organisation warned today. Most businesses will have to close from Thursday as the country enters its second lockdown, with staff being urged to...
Construction industry marketing specialist Carol Heneghan has joined construction group Bouygues UK as business development manager for the South West. Carol, pictured, has worked in construction and development for more than 20 years. Her pervious roles have spanned designing water management and drainage systems and working in the regeneration and main contracting sectors. She has...
Swindon firms are being urged to prepare now for the end of the Brexit transition period on January 1 next year, despite many questions of how it will work in practice remaining unanswered. The government has launched a campaign for businesses with the strapline ‘Time is running out’ as talks with the EU over...
Business West, the group that runs the Swindon & Wiltshire Initiative, has welcomed the latest government job and self-employment support measures – but warned that many firms, including those in the Swindons vital hospitality sector, continue to miss out. The new support package was announced last Thursay by Chancellor Rishi Sunak as businesses in...
Firms will ‘despair’ over Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s comments today that they should prepare for a no-deal Brexit, the region’s biggest business organisation said. Describing the move as “another period of political theatre”, Business West managing director Phil Smith said firms across the West of England were already under unprecedented pressure from the impact...
