Economic and business links between Bristol and its Chinese sister city Guangzhou have been strengthened during an official visit to China by Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees. Mayor Rees, who travelled with members of the Bristol and West of England China Bureau, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Guangzhou and...
Bristol’s Engine Shed innovation hub has celebrated its third anniversary by looking back at its success and ahead to its next phase of growth. Engine Shed houses the world-leading SETsquared business incubator, the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Invest Bristol & Bath and a number of other...
Business confidence has bounced back after being hit by the Brexit referendum result, according to the latest Business Barometer from regional accountancy firm Bishop Fleming. However, 56% of business owners remain doubtful about the year ahead and half have no plans to take on additional staff next year. In...
The University of Bristol’s ambitious plans for a £300m ‘transformational’ new campus next to Temple Meads railway station will put the city among the world’s leading centres for innovation, according to Mayor Marvin Rees. The scheme, announced this week, will also help bridge the gap between prosperous parts of...
Regional accountancy firm Bishop Fleming, which has an office in Bristol, described Philip Hammond’s first Autumn Statement as a clarion call to industry to be more productive and to make the UK ‘match fit’ for a bumpy Brexit ride ahead. It said the Chancellor’s first fiscal statement promised billions of government...
Bristol businesses will welcome Chancellor Philip Hammond’s focus on investment in the Autumn Statement, particularly in areas where growth pressures are highest, according to Business West. Phil Smith, pictured, managing director of the region’s largest business organisation, described the statement as “a sombre, not flashy, affair” which reflected the...
Business organisation the CBI “warmly welcomed” Chancellor Philip Hammond’s commitments to boost research and development, housing and infrastructure. But it said these must be acted on. Director-general Carolyn Fairbairn, pictured below, said: “The Chancellor has prioritised a pragmatic down payment on future productivity growth. “His emphasis on R&D, housing...
Chancellor Philip Hammond’s housing market measures in the Autumn Statement have been welcomed – but were seen as not going far enough to ease the homes crisis in cities like Bristol. Martin Blake, pictured right, director of Keynsham-based estate agency Andrews’ land & new homes division, approved of the commitment to release £1.4bn...
Chancellor Philip Hammond presented his first Autumn Statement this afternoon. Here are the main points, as announced: Office for Budget Responsibility says growth this year will be 2.1%, 1.4% next year (down from 2.2%), 1.7% in 2018 (down from 2.1%), 2.1% in 2019/20 (down from 2.1%) and 2% in 2020/21,...
Bristol business leaders have called on Chancellor Philip Hammond to go all out to boost confidence ahead of Brexit as he prepares to deliver his first Autumn Statement next Wednesday. With the economic climate expected to get decidedly chilly next year as the UK works towards leaving the EU,...
Bristol is to get much-needed high-end laboratory space and support facilities to encourage cutting-edge science and tech start-ups – allowing the city to effectively compete for the first time against centres such as Oxford and Cambridge. Construction has started on the lab space and science incubator – called Unit DX - ...
Bristol-based youth empowerment social enterprise Babbasa has launched its ambitious #Change300Futures campaign with a fundraising gala dinner for 100 civic and business leaders. #Change300Futures aims to improve the life chances of 300 young people from inner-city Bristol by supporting them to progress into work, further education or self-employment. This...
Bristol hospital charity Above & Beyond is asking businesses in the city to swap their secret Santa for a donation with a difference as it launches its Christmas Appeal to raise £20,000 for the Royal Hospital for Children. More than 5,000 children will spend the festive period in Bristol...
