Year: 2026
Community-led bid launched in Thanet for Isle of Culture 2029
More than 70 community organisations, cultural groups and businesses from across the Isle of Thanet have come together to submit a community-led Expression of Interest to become the UK City of Culture 2029.
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Chartway Group develops construction apprenticeship support programme
A new training programme led by Chartway Group, designed to help line managers support construction apprentices throughout their entire apprenticeship, has secured funding from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).
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Event invites leaders to shape Thanet’s creative industries
Leaders in the creative and education sectors can “shape the future of Thanet’s creative economy” at a new event, set to take place at the brand-new EKC Broadstairs College Margate Digital Campus.
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Kent Apprenticeship Awards launched
A new county-wide awards programme celebrating apprenticeship achievement across Kent and Medway has been launched during National Apprenticeship Week.
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Entrepreneurship rises sharply among Gen Z
New data released by Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, reveals that there has been a surge in entrepreneurship amongst Gen Z in the South East, with the number of loans taken out by young founders increasing by 19% in 2025 as more young people look to start their own businesses.
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Alison Griffiths MP launches Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Business Club
Alison Griffiths MP has launched her Bognor Regis and Littlehampton Business Club, bringing together employers to ensure their experiences, concerns and ideas are heard clearly and directly – locally and in Parliament.
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Bluebay relocates to Milton Keynes
Bluebay Building Products, a UK distributor of specialist civil engineering and construction products, has relocated its Luton operations to a purpose-built, sustainable new depot in Milton Keynes.
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DMH Stallard advises Brighton’s SimplyVAT on acquisition
Hove, Sussex-headquarteredSimplyVAT has been acquired by AVASK Global Compliance in a deal that is said to strengthen their combined position in the worldwide compliance and indirect tax sector.
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Historic country pub in West Sussex sold
Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has announced the sale of The Three Horseshoes in Elsted.
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Furley Page donates £30,000 to Pilgrims Hospices
In January, Kent law firm Furley Page welcomed staff, clients and friends to attend the final event of its 300th anniversary celebrations, a film premiere held at the Gulbenkian Arts Centre in Canterbury.
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Optimism rises in South East industrial and logistics market
Economic uncertainty and rising costs slowed occupier decisions in 2025, but market optimism has improved in the past two months, according to SHW’s Q1 2026 South East Industrial & Logistics Focus.
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Pensions now ‘beat perks’ when workers choose jobs
More than half of UK workers (57%) say a workplace pension is very important when deciding whether to join a new company – ranking it above flexible working, bonus schemes, healthcare plans and lifestyle perks such as gym memberships or work socials.
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ABC Lettings strengthens support for landlords and tenants ahead of major rental reforms
Ashford Borough Council is preparing for significant national changes as the first phase of the Renters Rights Act 2025 comes into force on 1 May 2026.
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History is made as demolition begins at Fort Halstead
Demolition has officially started at the ex-Military of Defence base in Fort Halstead, Kent, after Barratt Redrow formally purchased the site in September 2024.
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SHW opens new Surrey office to accelerate growth
Independent, full-service real estate advisory firm SHW has opened a new office in Guildford, Surrey, marking a significant step in the firm’s continued expansion across the South East.
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South East business confidence falls in January
Business confidence in the South East fell 12 points during January to 22%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds.
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Brachers launches the Brachers Building at Kent County Showground
Kent law firm Brachers is has announced the launch of the Brachers Building at the Kent County Showground in Detling, following a new five-year partnership with the Kent County Agricultural Society (KCAS).
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Carpenter Box joins forces with Brighton-based Hartley Fowler
Accountancy firm Carpenter Box, part of Sumer Group, has announced a merger with the Brighton office of Hartley Fowler.
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Emergency pub relief will provide respite but ‘urgency is needed’
Pubs and music venues will receive a 15% business rates discount and a two-year freeze from April, but trade body UKHospitality warns the short-term relief must be followed by urgent action to tackle the sector’s rising costs.
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Surrey’s private sector contributes £13 billion in turnover
A new report from Grant Thornton UK found that Surrey’s top 100 privately-owned businesses collectively generated £13 billion in turnover throughout 2025 – a 5% increase on 2024. Employment also saw a 12% increase, with 55,000 people working for these firms.
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40 acres near Gatwick Airport coming to auction
A block of land close to Gatwick Airport with a guide price of £225,000 is to be auctioned by Savills on 10 February.
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Integrum expands care coverage in Brighton
Care home provider Integrum Care Group has expanded its reach across the South East with the acquisition of an eighth care home – its second in the Brighton area.
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Power crew add bird and bat boxes to Sussex wildlife haven
UK Power Networks’ overhead lines team, including Ritchie Mulhall, engineer Ben Parkes and apprentice Jamie Wakefield, have installed a total of six boxes – two owl, two bat, one kestrel and one swift – at the 90-acre wildlife haven off Chesworth Lane.
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25,000 sq ft office space let in Hove
Flude Property Consultants has announced the recent letting of 25,000 sq ft of new build Grade A office space at Hove Central, marking Brighton and Hove’s largest office letting in recent years.
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Savills appoints new head of South East Development
Development director Sam Kirkaldy has been appointed to head up Savills South East Development team, based across the firm’s Sevenoaks, Guildford and Brighton offices.
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Barratt Redrow reveals £41.7M investment across the South East
Barratt Redrow Southern Counties contributed over £41 million to benefit communities across the South East last year, according to its latest Socio-Economic Footprint report.
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£21m retirement village opens in Kent
The Lord Mayor of Canterbury Councillor Keji Moses and Lady Mayoress Carol Reed have officially opened a new £21m care-focused retirement village in Herne Bay, Kent.
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UK small businesses invest nearly £5bn a year in tax and accounting software
New research from Monzo, the digital bank with over 800,000 business customers, reveals British small businesses invest £4.8bn every year in tax and accounting software.
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South East businesses account for 13% of administrations in 2025
Business failures in the South East reached 13% of all UK administrations in 2025, making it the third-highest region for corporate insolvencies, according to analysis by law firm Mayo Wynne Baxter.
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SHW sells Sutton High Street investment with development potential
Independent property real estate advisory business SHW, acting as sole agent on behalf of a private client, has sold the freehold interest in 51-35 High Street, Sutton, Surrey to a property company for £1.25 million.
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Retailers should ‘reduce not absorb’ new EPR fees, says Priory Direct
As UK retailers adjust to a new packaging levy, Josh Pitman, managing director at Kent-based sustainable packaging firm Priory Direct, is urging businesses not to absorb the additional costs but use this opportunity to adapt and reduce their environmental footprint, which will push down their fees.
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South East sees solid influx of new business in December
Data from the NatWest South East Growth Tracker showed the region ending the year on a stronger footing, having enjoyed greater inflows of new work and accelerated growth in output.
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Pre-pack sale of Boutique Modern secures novation of customer contracts
The assets of Newhaven-based modular homes specialist Boutique Modern have been acquired out of administration in a deal that enables the completion of ongoing development sites.
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Tunbridge Wells charity event supports dogs in need
Dog lovers from across Kent are being invited to a charity event on Friday 23 January with broadcaster Eamonn Holmes, who is bringing his acclaimed live show ‘This Is My Life’ to Royal Tunbridge Wells in support of K-9 Angels.
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Kent PR consultancy expands European reach
As Suzanne Howe Communications (SHC) begins its 30th year in business, the Kent-based PR consultancy is celebrating the expansion of its European PR coverage network.
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Freedom Works Group secures investment to expand
South East flexible office provider Freedom Works Group has secured substantial investment from property firm Sixpenny Group Ltd to fuel an ambitious growth strategy that will increase its operational footprint by approximately 50% over the next 18 months.
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Crafting change
Managing director Darren Edmonstone talks brand evolution, community roots and the future of Battle Brewery You’ve refreshed the brand and direction recently. What sparked that change? I’ve built and created brands throughout my career as a global leader and CEO in the hospitality industry. One of the immediate and key initiatives I was keen to […]
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Hospitality set for 2,076 closures without sector-wide business rates solution
New modelling from UKHospitality, the trade body for hospitality in the UK, reveals that six hospitality venues could close every day in 2026.
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Tiger launches new Sussex garden building show site in Littlehampton
Woodlands Home & Garden Group has launched a franchise partner show site in Littlehampton, West Sussex for its specialist garden building retailer Tiger.
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Kent contractor Trail Group strengthens leadership team
Swanley-based fire safety, construction and maintenance specialist Trail Group has appointed David Humphrey as operations director – a senior position that carries operational responsibility for the group’s Construction and Passive Fire Safety divisions.
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New era begins for Brighton Hotel
Brighton hotel The Oriental Hotel, which closed during the Covid pandemic, is set to reopen under new ownership following its successful marketing by Flude Property Consultants.
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Plans submitted to ‘shape Headcorn’s future’
Plans to create a bold new vision for Headcorn have been submitted to Maidstone Borough Council, which will see the delivery of new sports and community facilities alongside much needed, high quality new homes.
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Bar Vita opens at Deal hotel Updown
Set within the grounds of Updown, Ruth Leigh and Oli Brown’s award-winning hotel and restaurant in Betteshanger, Deal, Kent, a new cocktail bar, Bar Vita, has officially opened.
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Where integrity meets innovation
For Business Computer Solutions (BCS), technical excellence and a team-focused culture come first, strengthened by its employee ownership model
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Brighton business leader named one of the UK’s top 100 female entrepreneurs for 2026
Brighton-based business leader and inclusion specialist Mo Kanjilal Williams has been recognised as one of the f:Entrepreneur #ialso100 Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs for 2026, a national campaign celebrating inspirational women who are making a powerful impact across the UK economy.
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Azets appoints new Ashford office managing partner
Katie Hodson has been named the new Ashford office managing partner for accountancy and business advisory firm Azets 20 years after starting her career there. Katie began her working life at Azets in Ashford as an audit and accounts trainee in 2005 and completed her ACCA qualification in 2009, before becoming director of client services […]
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The power of integration
Martin Kingman, founder and CEO of Pro Legal Group, outlines how the firm’s integrated model moves companies from reactive problem-solving to strategic forward planning in an increasingly complex business landscape Legal, compliance, IT and training – Pro Legal Group brings these services together seamlessly under one roof. Headquartered in Sittingbourne, Kent, the multi-disciplinary group supports […]
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Crawley Innovation Centre opens to support entrepreneurs
A new innovation centre that helps entrepreneurs grow their businesses has opened in Manor Royal Business District in Crawley, West Sussex.
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Brachers acquires Gill Turner Tucker
Brachers has announced its acquisition of Gill Turner Tucker, a respected Kent law firm with offices in Maidstone and Dover.
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Building momentum: Discovery Park in 2026
The start of a new year demands reflection – not just on what we’ve accomplished, but on how we’ve worked, who we’ve worked with, and whether we’re focused on what matters most. For a science and technology business park, success isn’t just measured in square footage or ribbon-cutting ceremonies. It’s found in the breakthroughs happening […]
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