Month: November 2025
Budget 2025: Big changes ahead
South East law firm Thackray Williams reacts to the recently announced Autumn Budget, sharing insights from Elliot Lewis, partner and head of the Private Wealth team, Adrian Whichcord, partner and head of the Sevenoaks Conveyancing team, and Nick Gabay, partner and head of the Corporate & Commercial sector.
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Budget 2025: Manufacturers must invest or be squeezed
Paula Ireland, commercial & operations director at Felcon Limited, non-executive director at Sussex Chamber of Commerce and chair of Apprenticeships East Sussex, reacts to the Budget.
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Budget delivers small gains but leaves builders ‘underwhelmed’
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said that many small construction firms are left feeling “underwhelmed” by the Chancellor’s Budget, despite a handful of welcome measures.
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Manufacturers weigh in on the Budget
Given the difficult economic circumstances the Chancellor faced, as well as the intense speculation, the Budget was a case of two steps forward and one step back for manufacturers, says MakeUK, the manufacturers’ organisation.
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A ‘mixed bag’ Budget for retail
Reacting to the Chancellor’s Budget, the British Retail Consortium said the measures amounted to a “mixed bag”, with welcome rate cuts offset by new levies and looming cost pressures.
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What does the Budget mean for the UK hospitality sector?
The Budget has ushered in a costly new reality for the UK hospitality sector, prompting trade body UKHospitality to warn of mounting pressures from rising taxes and rateable values.
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Autumn Budget 2025: The key takeaways
On 26 November, the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, delivered the 2025 Autumn Budget to the House of Commons, setting the tone for taxation, spending and economic policy over the coming years.
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Dolphin Motorhomes expands into West Sussex
Family-run motorhome dealer Dolphin Motorhomes has announced that it will be adding a third location to its portfolio – Chichester, West Sussex – in early January 2026.
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Tunbridge Wells welcomes Mad Dog Brewery Co taproom
More than 300 years after starting life as the brewery for the first hotel in Tunbridge Wells, a historic venue has re-opened as the town’s newest taproom.
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Select Technology appoints new business development manager
Kent-based managed service provider Select Technology has welcomed Nick Brennan to the team as business development manager, marking the latest stage of the growth strategy for the company.
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Must Have Ideas named finalist in Retail Week Awards 2026
Kent-based homeware brand Must Have Ideas has been selected as a finalist in the ‘Digital Excellence Award’ category, sponsored by EV Cargo, at the Retail Week Awards 2026, one of the industry’s most respected celebrations of retail innovation and achievement.
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Reflect Digital celebrates double award win
Becky Simms, founder and CEO of Kent-based digital marketing agency Reflect Digital, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Outstanding Contribution to Business in Kent’ honour, while Reflect Digital was simultaneously named ‘Employer of the Year’ at this year’s Kent Chamber of Commerce Awards.
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Historic Medway fort heads to auction with Savills
Real estate service provider Savills is set to auction Darnet Fort, a nineteenth-century military fort located on the River Medway in Kent, at its final sale of the year, taking place on 10 December.
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Gillingham-based JM Partnership joins enevo
JM Partnership (Surveyors) Ltd, established in 1997 and based in Gillingham, Kent, has been hand-picked to complement enevo, a national provider of built environment testing, inspection, certification and compliance services.
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Brighton studio launches interactive AR content platform
Brighton-based creative studio RamJam has launched PromotAR, a platform that allows brands to engage customers through interactive, shareable digital experiences.
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The Pace Group acquires Kent-based The Lift Company & DJ Lifts
LDC-backed The Pace Group, the lift maintenance and repair specialist, has strengthened its national footprint with the acquisition of Kent-based The Lift Company & DJ Lifts, alongside North East operator Exel Elevator.
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Volunteers urged to join biggest Tesco Food Collection yet
Volunteers are needed to help smash a 20-tonne food donation record this November as FareShare Sussex & Surrey launches its latest Tesco Food Collection to support those facing hunger.
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Kent rail upgrades scheduled for Christmas and New Year
Passengers are asked to plan ahead this Christmas and New Year as vital upgrades are delivered for a more reliable railway across Kent and South East London.
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Pennard Vets introduces new pet hydrotherapy centre
Pets across Kent will soon benefit from a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy suite at Pennard Vets in Sevenoaks, opening in time for Christmas.
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Roger Gough shortlisted for national Lifetime Legend Cllr Award
Roger Gough, former leader of Kent County Council, has been shortlisted for ‘Lifetime Legend’ at the 2025 LGIU and CCLA Cllr Awards.
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Brachers recognised in The Times ‘Best Law Firms 2026’ list
Brachers has once again been named in The Times ‘Best Law Firms 2026’ list, a prestigious annual ranking of the top 250 law firms in England and Wales.
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Whitbread launches refreshed network targets across the South East
Hotel and restaurant operator Whitbread has launched ambitious plans to expand its portfolio of Premier Inn hotels across the South East following a comprehensive review of its network requirements across Surrey, Kent and Sussex.
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South East signals strongest rise in new business since May 2023
Latest NatWest South East Growth Tracker data reveals renewed activity growth, fuelled by greater new order inflows and amid a notable improvement in confidence.
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Major leisure and housing plans for Hythe unveiled
A £120m privately funded scheme to transform Hythe golf course and deliver much-needed community leisure and sporting facilities, new homes and improvements to the Hythe Imperial Hotel has been unveiled.
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Small Business Britain and Starling join forces to boost female entrepreneurship
Starling bank has teamed up with Small Business Britain, the UK’s champion of small businesses, to roll out a campaign to empower women across the UK to start and grow their businesses.
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£6 million investment in apprenticeships to power future energy
UK Power Networks is investing £6 million in craft electricity apprenticeships this year, including fresh recruits from Kent set to play a key part in shaping Britain’s energy future.
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Local manufacturers invited to explore the ‘Factory of the Future’
Manufacturers across Surrey, Kent and Sussex are being invited to step into the factory of the future at a landmark event hosted by Made Smarter at Cranfield University in Bedford.
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Opus strengthens Kent presence with new partner appointment
Opus Restructuring and Insolvency has appointed Ben Stanyon as partner to strengthen its operations across Kent and the wider South East.
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Ciphr eLearning launches new microlearning suite for UK businesses
HR software and eLearning content provider Ciphr has introduced a new range of ‘micro’ employee training courses suitable for organisations across all industries.
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Family businesses in the South East need certainty now, says KPMG
Family businesses across the South East are standing at a crossroads, faced with the choice of waiting for clarity or forging ahead despite economic and political uncertainty, warns KPMG UK, as new research reveals that confidence among the region’s family firms has dipped compared to other privately owned businesses.
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Must Have Ideas welcomes first employee through Connect to Work scheme
Must Have Ideas, the fast-growing Kent-based homeware brand, has announced that 19-year-old Louis Turl – the company’s first employee to join through the Connect to Work scheme, supported by The Education People – has successfully transitioned into full-time employment with the business.
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Ready to deliver
From a single dream to an award-winning team, Primech Building Services shows what passion and collective talent can achieve.
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Kent’s property market resilient against the headwinds
This year’s Kent Property Market Report, produced by Caxtons Property Consultants and Kent County Council, is forecasting positive growth in some property sectors and the economic headwinds calming.
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Draft business cases for new Kent and Medway councils unveiled
Councils from across Kent and Medway have published a series of draft business cases on the Kent Leaders website to help inform the next steps in the government’s “biggest shake up” of local councils in 50 years.
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Character Brighton office let at The Old Coach House
Brighton and Hove-based independent chartered surveyor Flude Property Consultants has completed the letting of The Old Coach House, 110 Old London Road, Brighton, acting on behalf of the landlord.
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Penshurst pub wins place in The Good Food Guide
The Leicester Arms in Penshurst, near Tonbridge, Kent, has been named in The Good Food Guide’s prestigious inaugural 100 Best Pubs.
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Whitehead Monckton transitions to Employee Ownership Trust structure
Kent law firm Whitehead Monckton has announced its transition to become an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), making it one of the few law firms in the country to embrace this ownership model.
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Kent entrepreneur shortlisted for RICS UK Award
Kent businessman Alexander Galvin, director of London & Kent Surveyors, has been shortlisted for ‘Young Residential Surveyor of the Year’ at the RICS UK Awards – one of the most prestigious accolades in the built environment sector.
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South East business confidence dips in October, but more firms plan to hire
Business confidence in the South East fell eight points during October to 41%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds.
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