Nearly 4,000 companies in the Bristol area are in ‘significant’ financial distress as the economy continues to teeter on the brink of recession, according to a new report. The 12% increase on the previous quarter shows stubbornly high interest rates and inflation alongside weak consumer confidence and rising and...
The Bristol office of growth finance group BGF invested nearly £70m in small and mid-sized businesses in 2023, taking its total for the past three years to £190m. The long-term investor, which makes initial investments of between £1m to £20m for a minority equity stake, said it backed businesses...
A Bristol drain clearance company is targeting a turnover of £5m this year as it continues to invest in its fleet and personnel. Trent’s Drains, which was set up by father and son Mark and Louis Trent in 2013, has grown dramatically over the past four years on the...
Bristol-headquartered national law firm TLT’s corporate team has advised on a complex investment deal involving a West of England financial advice business which has significantly increased the UK footprint of a major Swedish group. TLT acted for Bath-based Fidelius on its investment by Söderberg & Partners, one of the...
Three Bristol production companies have been named among the UK’s Best Places to Work in TV by industry bible Broadcast magazine. Animation production firm A Productions appears in the list for the second time along with natural history TV production company Silverback and documentary maker Drummer TV. The prestigious...
Bristol-based invoice finance provider Optimum Finance has made a number of appointments as it looks to continue last year’s steady expansion into 2024. Steve Chapman has joined as risk & recoveries manager to lead the firm’s activity in that area. Steve, pictured, has more than 40 years’ experience within...
Private equity and investment firm Maven Capital Partners has strengthened its presence in Bristol to support its delivery of the £200m South West Investment Fund (SWIF). Launched last July by the British Business Bank, SWIF aims to boost the supply of finance to small and medium-sized businesses across the...
A brewery on Bristol’s outskirts has installed hundreds more solar panels on its roof to harness as much renewable energy as possible for beer production. Hare Brewery at Warmley, which is owned by Cornish brewing and pub group St Austell, will now be able to generate an additional 230,511kWh...
UWE Bristol has collaborated with four of Bristol’s largest law firms to launch a legal services work experience and mentoring programme for the university’s final year undergraduate Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) students from low income backgrounds. Called UWE Futures, the scheme brings together Osborne Clarke, Burges Salmon...
Alternative regional funder SWIG Finance has reached the landmark of lending £15m to 250 small businesses across the South West in a scheme backed by Triodos, the ethical bank with its UK headquarters in Bristol. The milestone came within five years of the first loan being made under the...
Green technologies such as carbon capture and heat networks could be introduced into Bristol’s largest industrial area as efforts are stepped up to decarbonise its traditional business activities. Some £750,000 has been secured by an 11-strong consortium led by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) to draw up...
An expanding provider of short-term real estate loans has secured a £70m investment, with two Bristol law firms advising on the transaction. Foot Anstey worked with Quilam Capital while Osborne Clarke supported Foresight Group. Both are long-term clients of the firms. Under the funding round, Foresight will provide senior...
The corporate and mergers & acquisition team at Bristol-headquartered law firm Burges Salmon has helped create a major new investor for the UK solar market which will finance schemes from the development to operational stages. The long-term strategic partnership between Bluefield Solar Income Fund GLIL Infrastructure commits them to...
