Manufacturing firms in the West of England are backing expansion at Heathrow Airport, with results of a new survey showing they believe it would be best for their sector and lead to a better balanced economy. The report by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, comes ahead of next Tuesday’s deadline...
Bristol’s year as European Green Capital officially got underway with a spectacular high-wire act on Saturday evening watched by thousands. In a breath-taking and colourful public opening ceremony, Jade Kindar-Martin from Bristol-based Cirque Bijou cycled along a 120m long high wire set between the city’s iconic A and B Bond...
Bristol’s year as European Green Capital gets underway this weekend with an opening ceremony and gala dinner for visiting dignitaries this evening and a spectacular high-wire act tomorrow as the first public event. Organisers hope the combination of the civic ceremony with the ‘fun’ element of the tightrope walk...
Innovative Bristol microfinance charity Deki is calling on businesses in the city to help it fight poverty in Africa by joining it in a unique partnership. Deki’s crowdfunding website deki.org.uk offers long-term solutions to poverty by giving entrepreneurs in the developing world access to small loans and business training....
Bristol-based waste management consultancy Resource Futures is working with Bath and North East Somerset Council to motivate primary school teachers and pupils to save energy through simple, everyday changes in behaviour. Schools have been invited to take part in the BEST (B&NES Energy Saving Teams) competition, which focuses on...
The former managing director of Bristol-based chocolate manufacturer Elizabeth Shaw has been appointed by alternative finance provider South West Investment Group (SWIG) Capital as a non-executive director to the board of its fund-holding arm. Malachy McReynolds, pictured, join the group, which since 1996 has invested £15m in to more...
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has hailed Bristol’s Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone a success and pledged to devolve more powers to the city to enable it to fund similar economy-boosting measures itself. The minister was in Bristol yesterday to mark the completion of the £40m, 98,000 sq ft, showpiece 2...
Confidence among West of England businesses petered out at the end of 2014 and has started the new year lower than at any time over the previous 12 months, new research shows. Domestic sales, cashflow and recruitment expectations all fell during the fourth quarter, according to results of the...
Bristol’s standing as a centre for innovation in financial services has been boosted with the decision by fast-growing Blue Speck Financial to relocate to a larger base in the city and nearly double its workforce. The company, acquired last May by South African financial services giant MMI, is to...
Bristol is to become a test bed for hybrid buses that can automatically switch from diesel to electric power to reduce emissions in areas of the city with poor air quality. The vehicles will be piloted on the city’s streets thanks to a £1m Government grant. The trial coincides...
Bristol Airport has acquired an electric van for use by its IT team as the first of a number of initiatives supporting the city’s year as European Green Capital. The Nissan e-NV200 is the first 100% electric-powered vehicle on the 176-hectare site. It has been bought with support from...
Bristol businessman and charity champion Stephen Parsons has been appointed MBE in the New Year Honours list. Mr Parsons, pictured, splits his time between specialist engineering firm Redcliffe Magtronics, where he is chairman, and his extensive charity work. He also chairs the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP)...
Phil Smith, managing director of Business West, the organisation behind Bristol Chamber of Commerce and the Bristol Initiative, looks back at the past 12 months and considers why next year’s General Election is set to be one of the most important in recent memory. “The noise and glare of...
