Firms will want assurances that the business rates reform announced by the Chancellor today will not more higher taxes. That’s the view of Business West, the region’s largest business organisation representing 16,000 firms and which runs the Swindon & Wiltshire Initiative. George Osborne made the surprise announcement at today’s Conservative Party conference that by...
More than a third of the South West’s small and medium-sized manufacturers are having their growth plans jeopardised by skills shortages, according to a new survey. The annual Manufacturing Survey by MHA – an association of independent regional accountancy firms – reveals that recruitment issues are acting as a “significant barrier” to expansion for...
The Swindon office of Watersheds, the corporate finance firm, has helped bosses at Chippenham-based specialist automotive training agency RTS acquire the business from its founder. RTS was launched by Richard Wells nearly 30 years and has since worked with many of the world’s leading car manufacturers, incuding Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Mazda and Nissan, to develop...
Monday 5 October Finals: Bioventix, Waterman Trading statements: Ferrexpo, International Consolidated Airlines Economics: Official reserves changes, Markit/CIPS UK services PMI, composite PMI, Halifax house prices Tuesday 6 October Interim: Ted Baker Finals: Firestone Diamonds, St Ives Trading statements: easyJet, Greggs, Robert Walters EGM: Filtronic Economics: New car registrations Wednesday 7 October Interim: Tesco Final:...
A Swindon social enterprise praised by David Cameron for providing work for people recovering from mental illness has entered liquidation with the loss of 22 jobs. LEAVES (Local Enterprise and Vocational Employment Schemes) ceased trading on September 23 due to insurmountable cashflow problems. Founded in 2002 and based on Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, LEAVES...
Shares in Vectura rose after the Chippenham-based specialist drug developer announced it would receive multi-million pound cash payments as two of its projects reach development milestones. The firm is to receive €5m (£3.6m) from the development of a treatment for serious lung disease by an unnamed partner firm. The VR876 programme uses one of...
