Month: July 2025
South East business confidence rises
Business confidence in the South East rose seven points during July to 44%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds.
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Affinia continues expansion across the South East
Affinia has welcomed Opass Billings Wilson & Honey as the newest addition to its rapidly expanding, fully integrated accounting, tax and business advisory network, becoming the company’s third office in Kent and 11th nationwide.
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EKC Group celebrates 10 years of growth
East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) is celebrating a decade of growth, highlighted in its latest impact report.
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Southeastern launches summer recruitment drive in Tonbridge
Southeastern is hosting a recruitment open day on 12 August, highlighting a variety of roles available in Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge – from platform staff to ticket offices.
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Brachers maintains ranking in Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2025
Brachers has once again been recognised in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2025, maintaining its Band 2 ranking for Private Wealth Law (Kent).
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Gen Z and female founders are ‘driving entrepreneurial success’
New analysis of over 5,000 Forbes 30 Under 30 and Fortune 40 Under 40 recipients since 2012 has identified a significant shift amongst entrepreneurs, with an increase in younger, female and international founders.
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The Burlington Hotel in Eastbourne sold to BH Group
On behalf of Coast & Country Hotels, specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has announced the sale of the Burlington Hotel in Eastbourne.
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Kent’s biggest seaside sauna to launch at Folkestone Harbour
Folkestone Harbour has announced its latest plans to collaborate with Sea Scrub Sauna in the opening of Kent’s largest beachside sauna.
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EV chargepoints in the South East grow by 32% in a year
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood has confirmed there are now 10,212 public chargepoints in the South East – a 32% boost compared to July 2024.
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UK businesses react positively to Industrial Strategy
The UK government’s Industrial Strategy (IS), announced on 23 June, has been met with positivity from businesses, according to new Barclays Business Prosperity research.
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Apogee sponsors Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Charity Mud Run
Apogee Corporation, a multi-brand provider of managed workplace services headquartered in Maidstone, will be the lead sponsor of the 2025 Mud Run, supporting the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.
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Local filmmaker unveils history behind prominent Stonewater site
UK housing provider Stonewater has partnered with local filmmaker Press Play Films to showcase the story behind one of its prominent developments in East Sussex, which sits on the site of the former Parken Pen factory.
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Atelier completes £7m loan for 10 new homes in Royal Tunbridge Wells
Development finance lender Atelier has completed a £7m development loan, structured at 70% LTGDV, to fund the conversion of curtilage listed buildings into six dwellings, coupled with the construction of four new dwellings.
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Over half of firms in the South East ‘committed to employee volunteering’
A new wave of workplace volunteering is quietly reshaping how businesses operating in the South East are approaching productivity and employee wellbeing, new research suggests.
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Horsham’s former fire station sold to developer
Property consultancy Vail Williams has announced that a major town centre site with development potential in Horsham, West Sussex has been sold.
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Expansion ahead for Kent specialist veterinary referrals service
Six months after opening, South East Veterinary Referrals in Kent is now planning for growth and recruiting a specialist team to complement its neurology expertise. From a custom-built veterinary hospital in Sevenoaks, South East Veterinary Referrals has already treated more than 140 neurology cases that have required MRI scans, and it has now invested in […]
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FareShare Sussex & Surrey launches Summer Appeal to fight holiday hunger
With demand for food support surging during the school summer holidays, FareShare Sussex & Surrey has launched an urgent appeal calling on the public to help tackle holiday hunger across the region.
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Ramsgate recognised in 2025 Let’s Celebrate Towns Awards
Visa, in partnership with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), has announced the six winners of the third Let’s Celebrate Towns showcase, including Ramsgate in the ‘Small Business Support’ category.
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NDFT Academy supports employee development in food and drink manufacturing
National Food & Drink Training (NFDT) has launched NFDT Academy, a new suite of learning and development programmes designed to empower food and drink manufacturers across the UK.
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Small businesses can ‘unlock opportunities’ with AI, says Start Up Loans
New research by Start Up Loans, conducted by YouGov, reveals that less than half (46%) of small businesses use AI at work, while a third (34%) of small business leaders only have a ‘basic understanding’ of AI tools.
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Vail Williams completes three Sussex property deals
Property consultancy Vail Williams has successfully concluded three deals in quick succession in its Gatwick region: a commercial letting, a land sale and an office sale.
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Martin Searle Solicitors transitions to employee ownership
Brighton and Sussex law firm Martin Searle Solicitors will become 100% employee-owned on 1 April 2026, according to its co-founding directors Fiona Martin and Cate Searle.
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Major recycling company proposes £5m investment in Kent
SWEEEP Kuusakoski, one of the UK’s leading electrical waste recyclers, is planning to invest £5m to grow its operations in Swale.
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Brachers advises WSL on sale to Octopus Legacy
Kent solicitors Brachers’ Corporate team has successfully advised the shareholders of WSL Ltd (WSL Will Writing) on its sale to Octopus Legacy, a fast-growing estate planning firm and part of Octopus Group.
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South East ranked third most attractive region for property investment
The South East has ranked as the third most attractive region for property investment, according to new research from Handelsbanken Property’s Investor Report 2025.
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Barratt Homes site manager honoured with national award
Barratt Homes site manager Billy Oborne has been recognised with a prestigious national award for the second year in a row, celebrating the high standards of construction at The Poppies development in Kent.
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WW Martin and EKC Group partner
Construction company WW Martin and East Kent Colleges Group (EKC Group) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reinforcing their shared commitment to delivering high-quality training, learning and employment opportunities for students across Kent.
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Counselling Directory celebrates 20 years
Surrey-based Counselling Directory, the UK-based platform for finding and connecting with verified counsellors or psychotherapists, is celebrating two decades of helping people find mental health support this month.
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Crowe bolsters Insolvency and Restructuring practice with latest partner promotion
National audit, tax, advisory and consulting firm Crowe has promoted Mark Holborow as Insolvency and Restructuring partner.
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New grants support young entrepreneurs in Kent and Medway
Leading grant maker Kent Community Foundation has partnered with SWEF to support Kent and Medway’s young business entrepreneurs.
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Kent plays host to landmark hydrogen construction plant trial
Kent-based Gallagher Group recently hosted a landmark hydrogen-powered plant trial at its Hermitage Quarry as part of the company’s journey to net zero by 2050, in collaboration with the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) project, JCB and Ryze Power. The trial represents a major step forward for the Lower Thames Crossing’s ambition to eliminate diesel use […]
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Sussex candle manufacturer fuels expansion
Sussex-based family-owned business Contract Candles & Diffusers, a manufacturer of premium home fragrance products for luxury brands, has secured a multi-million-pound asset-based lending facility from Praetura Commercial Finance to support its next phase of growth.
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£100k funding boost to grow tourism in Newhaven
A new working group has been launched with a £100,000 investment from the Newhaven Enterprise Zone (NEZ) to boost tourism and grow the town’s visitor economy, with £50,000 to be delivered over the first 12 months.
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Half of Kent locals lack confidence using technology, says study
Research conducted by broadband provider Trooli has found that half of Kent locals lack confidence using basic technology, leaving 21% feeling left behind.
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Fixfast expands with £11m HSBC UK support
Backed by an £11 million investment from HSBC UK, Maidstone-based Fixfast has launched what it calls the most advanced fastener manufacturing and R&D centre in the country.
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Age, intent and trust influence online search behaviour, says survey
Online consumer search behaviour is becoming increasingly fragmented as digital integration and increased consumer choice drive Brits to switch between platforms, according to performance marketing agency Reflect Digital.
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South East mid-sized businesses predict growth despite trade bottlenecks
South East mid-sized businesses are optimistic about plans to export overseas in the next year, despite recent turmoil in global trade and tough economic challenges, according to accounting and business advisory firm BDO.
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Praxis seals landmark Kings Hill office deal
Praxis, the London-based real estate and property management company, has acquired a major part of the business park at Kings Hill, near West Malling in Kent.
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Caxtons announces senior promotions in Estate and Block Management
Kent-based firm Caxtons Property Consultants has announced the promotions of two members of its Estate and Block Management team, Tony Martin and Natalie Peck.
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Knights strengthens South East presence with Rix & Kay acquisition
UK regional professional services business Knights has strengthened its presence in the South East with the acquisition of Rix & Kay Solicitors LLP for an undisclosed sum.
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