Month: May 2025
South East business confidence holds steady as more firms plan to hire
Business confidence in the South East held steady during May at 36%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds.
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Brighton SME named in The Sunday Times’ Best Places to Work 2025
What started as a three-person telecoms startup working out of a makeshift office in Brighton has now earned a place among the UK’s most exceptional employers, as Alnets is officially recognised by The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025.
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Rare opportunity to acquire prominent seafront hotel in Brighton
Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has been jointly instructed alongside Savills to market Queens Hotel, a freehold hotel opportunity on the seafront in Brighton.
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Maidstone business secures sustainable new HQ
Maidstone-based property management business AM Surveying & Block Management will be moving into a sustainable new business premises with the support of a seven-figure loan from Allica Bank.
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Sussex food and wine sector explores digital tools
A bold project in Sussex is using digital innovation to transform food and wine production for the better, with key support from the University of Brighton.
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Businesses need to ‘boost bottom line with price increases or slide into red’
According to accountancy and advisory firm Azets, too many businesses in Kent run the risk of financial ruin because they are not improving efficiency and removing process waste from their business to counteract increasing input and wages costs.
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Vail Williams celebrates 30 years in Crawley
Property consultancy Vail Williams is celebrating 30 years as a property adviser in Crawley.
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UK businesses optimistic about international trade growth
Nine in 10 UK companies are confident they will be able to boost international trade over the next two years (92%), despite increased costs, according to the findings of HSBC’s Trade Pulse survey.
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Managing director takes the helm at Stour Environmental Credits Ltd
Stour Environmental Credits Ltd (SEC) has appointed Mariam Bajulaiye as its first managing director as the Joint Venture company created by Ashford Borough Council and Canterbury City Council prepares to start trading in nutrient mitigation credits.
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Surrey-based children’s farm expands with second site
Chobham Adventure Farm, a children’s farm in Surrey, is expanding across the South East, following the acquisition of a neighbouring farm in the area, marking its second location in the region.
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DMH Stallard advises Temple Group Management on sale
Leading South East law firm DMH Stallard has advised Temple Group Management, with offices in Sussex and London, on its strategic acquisition by Ramboll, a global leader in environmental and sustainability consultancy.
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Bestselling author helps Brighton students prepare for careers in the creative industries
Brighton-based author Dorothy Koomson helped inspire the next generation of writers as University of Brighton Creative Writing students marked the end of their degrees with a final-year showcase designed to kickstart their creative careers.
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Crowe’s Kent office advises on three cross-border transactions
National audit, tax, advisory and consulting firm Crowe has advised on three significant, cross-border deals as momentum continues for the firm’s corporate finance team in Kent.
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Graham Chivers appointed Chartway CEO
Chartway Partnerships Group, a land-led housebuilder operating across the South East, has announced the appointment of Graham Chivers as its new chief executive officer.
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Newhaven Enterprise Zone supports groups with £7k funding boost
A much-loved community centre in need of refurbishment and the organisers of an affordable family fête have received funding from Newhaven Enterprise Zone’s Community Fund.
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2025 SME National Business Awards open for entries
Entries are now open for the SME National Business Awards, which are back for 2025, shining a spotlight on the achievements of Britain’s most dynamic small and medium-sized enterprises.
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Barratt Homes backs green initiatives with donation to Kent community
Kent Community Foundation has received a £1,500 donation from Barratt Homes to support one of the grant-maker’s priority areas of funding: the environment – helping to fund projects that enrich nature, connect communities with green spaces and promote sustainability.
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GC Business Finance powers UK startups with over £24m in loan funding
GC Business Finance (GCBF), a Business Support Partner for the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans (SUL) programme, has injected over £24m in SUL funding into smaller businesses across the UK during the 2024/25 financial year.
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Newly refurbished units in Shoreham-by-Sea host open day for local businesses
Sussex-based commercial property landlord Hargreaves is inviting businesses to the Dolphin Road Industrial Estate Open Day in Shoreham-by-Sea on 22 May 2025 to view a selection of refurbished units that are available to let.
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South East output falls slightly amid subdued demand conditions
The April NatWest South East Growth Tracker saw business activity slip back from March’s recent improvement.
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Gender gap widens in South East as women in STEM roles drop
An analysis of the Annual Population Survey, which is produced by the Office for National Statistics, reveals the gender split in STEM roles within the South East of England.
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Applications open for NHBC 2025 business graduate programme
NHBC, the UK’s largest provider of new home warranty and insurance, will be opening applications for its 2025 business graduate programme for three weeks from 15 May 2025.
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Made Smarter South East off to a strong start as expert team assembled
A specialist delivery team and regional steering group have been appointed to lead Made Smarter South East and support manufacturing and engineering SMEs to adopt cutting-edge manufacturing technologies.
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Listed companies in the South East issued 16 profit warnings in Q1
Listed companies in the South East of England issued 16 profit warnings in Q1 2025 – the same number as the previous quarter, according to the latest EY-Parthenon Profit Warnings report.
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Viewing days announced for commercial units at historic Surrey grain barn
Local artisans and businesses are invited to explore a historic grain barn at Pierrepont Farm, Surrey, where five commercial units will soon be available for rent as part of a thriving creative community.
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Landlords and sole traders urged to prepare for MTD
It may be almost a year away, but landlords and the self-employed are being urged by South East accountants Carpenter Box to prepare for April 2026 when the new Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax era kicks in.
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Maison Dieu (Dover Town Hall) opens following major restoration
Following a multimillion-pound investment and two and a half years of upgrades and conservation work, Maison Dieu – Dover Town Hall – has officially reopened to the public.
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Recruitment activity falls at a sharper rate
Hiring conditions across the South of England continued to weaken at the start of the second quarter, according to the latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: South of England survey, compiled by S&P Global.
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Parker & Son named one of the best building companies in the region
Battle-based Parker & Son Construction is celebrating winning the ‘Best Contractor’ category in the South East Construction Awards 2025, which were presented during a gala dinner held at the Amex Stadium in Brighton and Hove.
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Royal British Legion Industries marks VE Day 80th anniversary
Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) has partnered with Transport for London (TfL) to pay tribute to servicemen and women on the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE Day) on Thursday 8 May.
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Hospitality training programme for jobseekers to launch in Worthing
UKHospitality, in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), will be running the new hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) in Worthing to help people into jobs in the sector.
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Panattoni Park Aylesford welcomes HGV EV-charging station
Panattoni Park Aylesford in Kent is now fully let after planning permission was granted for the final plot to become an electric Heavy Goods Vehicles (eHGV) EV-charging station, making it the UK’s first logistics park to offer such a facility.
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Businesses in the South East celebrated in The King’s Awards for Enterprise
The recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise have been announced today (6 May), celebrating the achievements of leading businesses from across the UK and Channel Islands and recognising their vital role in growing our economy to improve lives.
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73% of hiring managers claim they can spot AI-enhanced CVs
73% of hiring managers claim they can spot when a candidate has used AI to create their CV or cover letter, mainly due to the impersonal language and perfect formatting, with 35% stating that the use of AI would negatively impact their opinion of the candidate, according to a survey from global talent solutions business Robert Walters.
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New venue for female entrepreneurs’ event
Make It Your Business Tunbridge Wells is moving to a bigger venue to accommodate a larger audience, with past events having a waiting list of women from across the South East eager to attend.
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