The West of England’s food and drink businesses are increasingly upbeat about their prospects despite concerns over the price of raw materials and energy and the impact of this winter’s floods. Most also believe that being based in this region is a major plus, according to a new survey....
BGF, the independent company established to help Britain’s growing businesses, has promoted two members of its Bristol-based investment team. Ned Dorbin has been promoted to investment director and Edwin Davies to investment manager. The BGF investment team in Bristol, which covers the South West of England and South Wales and...
Bristol-based Clifton Asset Management has won a prestigious industry award just a week after helping launch a ground-breaking portal set to change the way UK businesses are funded. The finance company, which employs 100 people at its Ham Green offices, was presented with the Business Moneyfacts Best Alternative Funding...
Business West, the lobbying and advice group that runs Bristol Chamber of Commerce and the Bristol Initiative, welcomed today’s fall in inflation but warned that the Government still needed to do more to support business as it emerges from recession. Managing director Phil Smith said the drop in annual...
Accountancy and financial advice firm Grant Thornton has recruited a trio of graduates to its Bristol office. The three have joined the firm’s public sector assurance (PSA) practice, which provides external audit services to NHS bodies and local authorities. They are Sarah McDonald, who has a BSc in psychology...
Bristol-based property developer Deeley Freed is to receive £8.5m of medium-term finance to fast-track its existing pipeline of development projects. The investment comes from a new partnership with Development Securities, the major London-based property investment and development group. Development Securities said it is anticipated that Deeley Freed will secure...
Less than a quarter of businesswomen in the West of England believe a ‘glass ceiling’ is impeding their career, according to the results of a new survey released today. At the same time just over half reject the idea, recommended by some business groups, of mandatory targets for women...
Tickets are still available for The Business Showcase South West 2014, the region’s newest and most-exciting business event, which takes place in Bristol tomorrow. The unique showcase at Bristol’s historic Colston Hall celebrates the best of the region’s innovation, creativity and sustainability through speeches, discussions, exhibitors and networking opportunities....
Whistle-blowing and the opportunities arising from public sector change are the themes for accountancy and financial advice firm Grant Thornton’s latest FD Club meeting in Bristol this week. The event, on Thursday at Grant Thornton’s Bristol office, will hear from Fred Brown, the firm’s director of forensic and investigation...
Exporting in the digital age and advice for female entrepreneurs considering growing their business overseas are among the topics to be covered in the West as part of Export Week. Starting on Monday, the week aims to encourage firms to consider trading internationally or, for existing exporters, to...
Small firms such as those putting the West of England in the vanguard of UK innovation still lack adequate access to finance, Business Secretary Vince Cable admitted yesterday on a visit to Bristol. He said he was determined to get the high street banks to lend more to businesses...
The blueprint for job creation and economic growth in Bristol and the West of England was unveiled this morning with a clear message to the Government – come and back our vision for success. The Strategic Economic Plan identifies the city-region’s key growth sectors and sets out 122 ways...
Buyout activity in the South West is growing at a “steady rate” with five deals worth £25m completed so far this year and a healthy pipeline waiting for completion, according to new research. The figures, published by the Centre for Management Buyout Research (CMBOR), show growth in completions across...
