A surprise fall in the number of corporate insolvencies could herald the ‘calm before the storm’, the South West branch of insolvency and restructuring trade body R3 has warned. Figures published by the Insolvency Service show a 30% drop in companies going bust at the height of the coronavirus...
Unemployment has soared by 145% in the West of England since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to figures published today, with just nearly 40,000 people claiming jobless benefits. At the same time, around 22% of the region’s workforce – 132,600 people – have been furloughed while job...
Engineering group GKN has taken possession of its new £32m aerospace technology centre in Bristol – a move that strengthens the city’s reputation as a world-leading centre for aerospace innovation. The 110,000 sq ft centre, pictured, at Filton will house 300 highly skilled engineers working in research and develop...
Drone footage of Bristol’s £70m global centre of excellence for ultra-low emission vehicles has been released as it nears its post-construction stage. The world-beating Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS) is due to open next year on the Bristol & Bath Science Park at Emersons Green. Owned by...
A Canadian development company has been linked with the acquisition of one of the largest industrial sites in the Bristol area – and could even make an audacious attempt to lure Elon Musk’s planned electric car ‘gigafactory’ there. The Epta Development Corporation (EDC) of Vancouver is reported to have exchanged...
Small and medium-sized businesses investing in digital innovation to address challenges arising from Covid-19 can access grants of between £10,000 and £40,000 under a new scheme started by UWE Bristol. The university’s £1m Digital Innovation Fund is aimed at helping firms ranging from start-ups and micro businesses to more...
Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, has joined bodies representing business, education and employment in urging the government to rethink its controversial quarantine rules for travellers arriving in the UK. In an open letter to the home, foreign and transport secretaries, Business West, UK Hospitality, Universities UK and...
Advanced engineering group Viper Innovations is poised for further expansion after appointing a new managing director. Edward Davies, pictured, joined the firm, recognised as one of the most innovative companies in the oil and gas subsea and rail transportation sectors, earlier this month. He succeeds Neil Douglas who, along...
A new support programme has been set up to help Bristol firms whose employees’ mental health and wellbeing have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) is investing £100,000 to develop Thrive West, which aims to address some of the key mental health...
Bristol-headquartered national law firm TLT has advised social housing provider Stonewater on its first modular project – a 120-home development in Herefordshire. Stonewater, which manages around 32,500 homes in an area stretching from the South West through the Midlands to Yorkshire, has teamed up with sustainable modular housing firm...
Aero-engine giant Rolls-Royce has confirmed 50 job losses at its Bristol plant as part of a major redundancy programme in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis. The group, which primarily builds engines for military aircraft and vessels at Filton, has been rocked by the impact of coronavirus on the global...
A Bristol-based company that has developed an eco-friendly water treatment system that can reduce pollution levels has raised £550,000 to help roll it out its innovative technology to the industry. The second-round investment means Industrial Phycology – also known as I-Phyc – has now raised a more than £1.2m...
A new programme to help Bristol’s small businesses improve their digital presence has been launched by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) as it expands its Growth Hub to help firms bounce back from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Trading Better Online programme has been developed...
