Innovative businesses in the Bath area working on pioneering research and development projects can apply for financial help through a £4m innovation fund launched today by the University of the West of England (UWE). Grants of between £25,000 and £150,000 will be available to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as large companies...
Accountants and financial planners Old Mill have recruited their first IT director in a move that reflects the firm’s significant on-going investment in its IT systems and infrastructure. Highly-experienced IT specialist James, pictured, will head Old Mill’s existing three-man IT team across its five West Country offices, including Wells and Melksham. The 41-year-old previously...
Six Bath hi-tech firms have received investment totalling nearly £400,000 from a regional growth fund to help them develop their pioneering products. The businesses – Neighbourly, Clean Energy, Citeab, Tivarri, Envolve Technologies and CloudFind – are based at the city’s SETsquared centre, which supports small, fast-growing innovative businesses, mainly in the hi-tech sector. Centre...
Optimism among UK businesses reached its highest level since 1992 in January, pointing to rapid economic growth over the coming six months, according to a major new survey. Manufacturers are particularly upbeat about their prospects and the overall high confidence levels among businesses are likely to lead to strong employment growth as firms take...
A web portal that brings together all the training providers in the South West for the first time has gone live. Skills Junction, developed by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) Skills team, was launched last week at a conference in Bristol for educators, skills providers, employers and careers advisers. The move...
Monday 10 February Final: Catlin AGM: Impax Asset Management Tuesday 11 February Interims: dotDigital, Dunelm, Hargreaves Services, McBride Final: Barclays Trading statements: Babcock International, Bellway, Cable & Wireless Communications, Glencore Xstrata, Thomas Cook AGM: RWS Economics: British Retail Consortium like-for-like sales Wednesday 12 February Interims: Avanti Communications, Town Centre Securities Finals: African Barrick Gold,...
Shares in Wincanton, the Chippenham-based logistics group, dipped despite a trading update showing it is performing in line with market expectations. In an interim management statement for the period from October 1 to last Thursday, the group said it had won new business and renewed a number of major contracts. These include a three-year...
Just over half the owners of small and medium-sized businesses in the West are in favour of the Living Wage, according to a new survey. A quarter of these believe the policy will be implemented in their business in the near future, the latest Close Brothers Business Barometer reveals. The Barometer is a quarterly...
Businesses are being invited to take part in the annual Bath City Conference, which acts as a showcase for the area and an opportunity for the public, social enterprises and community groups to discuss key issues. The day-long event in The Guildhall on April 30 will include an exhibition, workshops and fringe events. A...
Fascia Graphics, the Chippenham-based specialist printing firm, has continued its expansion into new markets by appointing Mark Anderson as sales manager for the Midlands, North Wales, North West and East Anglia. Mark, pictured, worked for Fascia, which makes graphic overlays and membrane keypads, between 1996 and 2010, becoming UK sales manager in 2005. The...
