Nine in 10 mid-sized firms based in the South West shrugged off the national economic gloom last year to achieve their forecasted growth, according to a new survey. Now nearly a third plan to launch new products or services to continue to expand this year, despite challenges linked to...
A Bristol start-up developing wearable in-ear devices to help people with disabilities communicate has showcased its latest product at the world’s biggest technology show. EarSwitch, which was set up to help people with disabilities including motor neurone disease (MND, also known as ALS) to communicate, demonstrated its new EarControl...
Phoenix Wharf, the Bristol-based design agency specialising in hospitality and retail, has completed work on a unique café that combines ancient Eastern tea-drinking and contemporary Western coffee cultures. Called Oricha – a name that combines the start of the word ‘original’ with ‘cha’, Chinese for tea – the venue...
Channel 4 has been urged to give a “cast-iron commitment” to protect jobs in its Bristol creative hub following reports that it is poised to slash up to 200 roles to cut costs. The plea has come from West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris, who said he was...
A Bristol-based, Queen’s Award for Enterprise-winning specialist online retailer has gone into administration for the second time in 10 months, with this time all its staff being made redundant. British Corner Shop was launched in 2004 in its owner’s garage and at its peak sold more than 10,000 traditional...
A programme to help the West of England’s 2,000-plus charities, third sector organisations, social enterprises and co-operatives cope with increased demand amid the cost of living crisis has been launched. Called Social Economy West, the £1m initiative aims to make the sector more resilient and less reliant on one-off grants and...
The government announced its Simpler Recycling scheme last October aimed at reforming the waste system in terms of collections and accepted materials. These changes aim to dispel any confusion regarding recyclable and non-recyclable materials and provide consistency in recycling practices for homes, workplaces, and schools across England. As we...
Veteran broadcaster, writer and historian Jonathan Dimbleby is to become chair of the board of Bristol Beacon while the concert venue’s chief executive who oversaw its £132m, five-year transformation will leave her role. Louise Mitchell CBE will step down in July, having been at the helm since the charity...
Fewer than one in five West of England businesses have confidence in the UK’s economic outlook this year, according to a new survey – yet almost two-thirds are optimistic about their own prospects. Key challenges identified by firms in the region as 2024 gets under way are interest rate...
The strength of Bristol’s pioneering legaltech ecosystem will come under the spotlight at an event later this month aimed at those interested in learning more about the sector, whether they work in law, technology, academia or finance. Organised by Bristol Law Society and LawtechUK, a Ministry of Justice-backed initiative,...
The top floor of a landmark Bristol commercial building has been transformed into an ultra-flexible office scheme complete with movable features so occupiers can turn up, plug in and get to work straight away. London-based real estate investment firm EPIC commissioned workplace design-and-build company Interaction to turn the space...
Bristol-based specialist communications consultancy Distinctive Communications has grown its presence in the South West with a key appointment in Devon. The agency, which works with place-makers, purposeful businesses and public bodies, has recruited Arianne Smart, pictured, as an account manager to lead on public relations and communications support to...
The West of England needs to come up with some “big, bold ideas” this year if it wants the government to treat it as a regional powerhouse similar to the North and Midlands, the leader of the region’s largest business group has said. In his New Year message, Phil...
