The Bank of England has kept interest rates at their record low following a flurry of recent data showing the fragile nature of the UK's economic recovery, Rates have been pegged at 0.5% for 27 consecutive months despite spiraling inflation. The move will be welcomed by homeowners and small...
Bristol Water's Spanish owners, Agbar, have called in US bank Citigroup to advise on a possible sale of the company, according to the Financial Times. The Spanish company, which is majority-owned by France's Suez Environment, could expect to get around £370m from a sale compared to the £362m – including...
Shares in Bristol-based marketing software company smartFOCUS have been traded for the last time following its £25.3m acquisition by Emailvision Holdings. The deal, agreed on April 11, saw smartFOCUS shareholders receive 25p a share, representing a premium of 61.3% to the latest closing price. Separately, smartFOCUS reported an...
The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership has named a largely derelict area covering 173 acres behind Temple Meads station as the area's first official Enterprise Zone to act as a magnet for inward investment and create thousands of new jobs. It is estimated more than 250 businesses can be...
One of Britain's fastest growing insurance broking and financial services businesses, Bristol-based Brightside Group, is trading ahead of expectations in the current year – and is optimistic about prospects for the rest of the year, chairman Dr Chris Fay told today's annual general meeting. He said: “The strong...
Some 82% of wealthy individuals aged 45 or under deliberately avoid information about how the market or their portfolio is performing – that's one of the quirkier findings to emerge from Risk and Rules: The Role of Control in Financial Decision Making, a survey commissioned by Barclays Wealth of 400...
The UK’s best tax team in a law firm is based at Burges Salmon in Bristol – according to Taxation magazine’s national Taxation Awards 2011. Teamwork, innovation and service excellence were all major factors in the team's success. Led by partners Nigel Popplewell and John Barnett, it was singled out for...
Manufacturers in the South West have expanded output for six consecutive quarters on the back of export-led demand, it emerged today. Not only have output and order balances held up well in the past three months but companies have continued to recruit new staff, according to the second quarter...
Jelf is on the look-out for bolt-on acquisitions. The Yate-based financial services consultancy specialising in insurance, employee benefits, healthcare and financial planning, reported a 49% rise in operating profits in what it described as a challenging climate during the six months to March 31. Revenue was flat at £35m...
Three Bristol firms are among the finalists in the prestigious West of England Business of the Year awards. Insurance brokers Brightside Group and Bristol Airport line up against four other businesses in the large business category while Magmatic, maker of the Trunki children's ride-on suitcase, is competing against three...
The Von Essen chain of country house hotels has been put up for sale for around £200m and is already attracting ‘huge’ interest, according to agents Christie & Co. The firm has been appointed to sell the 27 prestige hotels either as a portfolio or as individual assets. The...
The Real Good Food Company (RGF), whose subsidiaries include Thornbury-based Garrett Ingredients, has had a strong start to the year and “is on course to significantly exceed current market forecasts for the year”, executive chairman Pieter Totté said at today’s annual general meeting. RGF, now headquartered in Liverpool, owns...
Staying ahead in an ever changing world is the theme of the South West Communicators Conference on Tuesday June 14 at the Bristol Hotel on Harbourside. Business journalist and BBC broadcaster Declan Curry will chair a roundtable discussion on the changing media landscape, with contributions from regional BBC, ITV...
