Bristol’s iconic Colston Hall music venue has officially launched an ambitious £45m refurbishment appeal to meet its aspirations to become an international centre of excellence. Called Thank You for the Music, the appeal aims to end decades of under-investment in the venue, which celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2017....
Bristol’s role as an international centre for the film industry is enhanced next week when the curtain goes up on the city’s 20th Encounters short film festival. The UK’s leading short film and animation festival, it takes place from next Tuesday to Sunday. The theme of this year’s Festival is...
A pioneering group has been launched in Bristol to bring in from the cold the one group who are marginalised when it comes to normal daytime networking opportunities – self-employed parents. Founded by South Bristol blogger and mum of two Faye Dicker, Freelance Mum is a digital hub designed...
Bristol-based retail support services specialist eXPD8 has played a key role in the nationwide launch of the DVD of one this year’s biggest film releases, The Amazing Spider-Man 2. The film has already grossed more than £16m at the box office. It is the second blockbuster launch managed by...
Bristol-based web design agency GWS Media has appointed Gareth Simpson as digital marketing manager in order to expand its digital services. GWS Media, which is behind the Bristol Unique Guide app, provides web and print design, mobile application development and online marketing to a range of clients in the...
Bristol has been named as one of the UK’s top five cities for growth outside of London, underpinning its reputation as a centre for innovation, technology and creativity. The city ranks fourth for economic and demographic expansion over the past eight years, according to a new report analysing the...
Brewer and pub operator Bath Ales’ flagship beer, Gem, has won one of the most prestigious international brewing awards. The International Beer Challenge considers more than 500 brews from 30-plus countries. As well as receiving a Gold Medal, Gem also scooped the highly-coveted trophy for its category – the Best Ale up to 5%...
Thatchers, the North Somerset cider maker, has entered the lucrative US market for the first time in its 110-year history. From this month, its flagship brand Thatchers Gold will be available in bars across 20 states as Americans increasingly get a taste for traditional English cider. While the entire...
Bristol’s growing reputation as one of the UK’s leading hi-tech centres has been recognised by its inclusion in a national innovation festival. Some of the city’s most innovative businesses will open their doors to executives, entrepreneurs, investors, potential employees and the public as part of the OpenCo event, which...
Bristol’s ‘phone box millionaire’ Dr Stephen Fear, the city-born entrepreneur and businessman, is to co-host a four-part radio series aimed at inspiring young people of all backgrounds to become entrepreneurs and create their own futures through enterprise. The first of four monthly shows, called Dr Fear’s Business Remedies, will...
Post production house Evolutions is to open a second facility in Bristol just a year after opening in the heart of the city’s Whiteladies Road media district. The new building, in which Evolutions has invested around £500,000 in state-of-the-art equipment, will provide additional capacity for the thriving post house...
A unique international careers website developed at the University of the West of England has been nominated for a Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Employer Engagement. Launched two years ago, GradLink UK is a free web-based service that enables overseas employers to link with international students and graduates...
By Adam Powell, director of skills, West of England LEP What will your business look like three years from now? Do your existing staff have the right mix of skills to help your business flourish? Do you have the right recruitment and workforce development strategy in place? If you...
