Confidence among the South West’s small businesses has plunged to the lowest level since the country emerged from Covid lockdowns, according to a new survey. The latest quarterly confidence report from the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) reveals that fears of inflation, falling consumer demand and the general cost of doing business left optimism...
Revenues at Avon Protection, the defence manufacturing group, edged ahead by 6% in the past three months on higher sales of its body armour, it said today in a trading update. The Melksham-based group, which specialises in protective gear, masks and breathing equipment for the military and first-responder markets, also said it had a strong...
Shares in Inspecs, the Bath-headquartered spectacles designer and manufacture, soared by more than 50% after it said cost cutting and efficiencies brought in late last year and a stronger order book were paying off. The group suffered a tough end to 2022 following a warning over future sales and the resignation of its chair,...
Firms are being encouraged to help staff develop their numeracy skills by signing up to a new national training initiative delivered locally by Bath College in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council. Called Multiply, the national Skills for Life initiative has been designed to support businesses to invest in their workforce. The...
A new Institute for Sustainability that will bring together expertise in tackling the most pressing climate and sustainability issues has been launched by the University of Bath. Led by leading sustainability academics at the university, research at the institute will be focused around two themes: sustainable chemical technologies and sustainable systems. The sustainable chemical...
Businesses are being encouraged by regional accountancy firm Milsted Langdon to carry on preparing for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax in spite of the announcement of a two-year delay. Milsted Langdon, which has five offices – including one in Bath – said the further changes to the much-delayed MTD initiative by HM...
The former boss of a global sexual wellness business has been appointed by international healthcare firm Alliance Pharma as chief operating officer in a move it said would support its growth strategy focused on consumer health. Chippenham-headquartered Alliance, whose products range from stomach ulcer treatments to anti-dandruff shampoo, is also taking on an interim...
The achievements of business figures from the Bath area along with those from the not-for-profit sector have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list for 2023. Toby Sutton and Jack Churchill, pictured, co-founders of tech innovator Scanning Pens, which produces pens that help dyslexic children and adults to read, received OBEs for services to international trade...
Confidence among South West businesses continued to rise in December after a surprise recovery the previous month – with firms ending the year in a rare upbeat mood. The latest monthly Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking reveals firms reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up 15 percentage points at 34%. Taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 10...
A Bath construction specialist is helping identify new markets for an award-winning cycle storage business after it was hit by Brexit red tape and the economic downturn. Dan Grimshaw, pictured right, who lives in Hinton Charterhouse and owns London-based design and construction firm Beam Development, is mentoring entrepreneur Andrew Lang, whose business Cycloc is...
