News
Amino Plus awarded ‘Discovery Spark’ prize package worth over £50,000
Following the immersive Discovery Spark (from Kent science park Discovery Park) programme and a competitive pitch process with nine fellow entrepreneurial life science and technology businesses, Amino Plus has secured the coveted first-place prize.
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Triodos Bank announces first BNG private sector loan to Nature Impact
Triodos Bank UK has announced its first private sector loan based on a biodiversity net gain (BNG) unit model, a landmark deal that could create a blueprint for financing nature-based solutions at scale.
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Kent foundry shares ‘Component of the Year’ at Best of British Casting awards
Maybrey Precision Casting, a Kent foundry that specialises in aluminium gravity die castings has jointly won the ‘Component of the Year’ prize at the recent UK Cast Metals Industry Awards.
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WIBN Kent raises over £2,000 for charity at 2024 Christmas event
On Thursday 5 December, the Women in Business Network (WIBN) Kent held its much-anticipated annual Christmas Lunch at the picturesque Chilston Park Hotel, raising an impressive £2,040, which will be equally distributed among six exceptional charities.
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FRP strengthens Brighton team with new restructuring partner
Specialist business advisory firm FRP has appointed Neville Side as a partner in its Brighton-based restructuring advisory team, strengthening its presence in the South East. With more than 20 years’ experience in business restructuring and formal insolvency, Neville joins from BDO, where he spent over two decades working across high-profile cases, including the administrations of […]
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Rising costs impacting the South East food and drink sector, survey finds
Businesses in the South East food and drink sector see rising costs and changing consumer spending patterns as the two biggest areas impacting them, according to the results of new research carried out by law firm Thomson Snell & Passmore.
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The Thompson family breathe new life into The White Horse in Boughton-under-Blean
Shepherd Neame’s 600-year-old country inn The White Horse, located in the village of Boughton-under-Blean, Kent, has officially reopened its doors under the new management of experienced licensees the Thompson family.
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Start Up Loans celebrates £50 million of loans to female entrepreneurs in the South East
Start Up Loans has provided female founders in the South East with £50 million in loans since the programme’s inception in 2012.
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Restoration begins at Victorian wine warehouse in Ramsgate
The Old Wine Warehouse in Charlotte Court, Ramsgate is being revitalised by not-for-profit Heritage Lab to create a landmark of enterprise, arts and entertainment in East Kent supporting local talent.
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South East second only to London on number of green jobs adverts in 2024
The South East continues to lead the way in terms of the number of green jobs advertised among the UK’s nations and regions outside of London, ranking fifth in the latest iteration of PwC’s Green Jobs Barometer.
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Pilbeam Construction completes essential upgrades at Rottingdean school
Youngsters at St Margaret’s CE Primary School in Rottingdean are enjoying two refurbished classrooms after South East building contractors Pilbeam Construction completed the essential project.
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South East employees are ditching the office Christmas party
New research from team building and corporate events company Team Tactics reveals that over a quarter (27%) of office workers in the South East are planning on ditching the office Christmas party this year.
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Lloyds Business Barometer: South East business confidence falls in November
Business confidence in the South East fell seven points during November to 27%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds.
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Phase two of LOC8 in Maidstone completed
Clearbell Property Partners III LP, a fund managed by Clearbell Capital, has announced the practical completion of phase two at LOC8, a multi-let industrial estate situated at Junction 8 of the M20 in Maidstone, Kent.
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British Business Bank to increase availability of funding to social impact sector lenders
The British Business Bank has launched its Community ENABLE Funding (CEF) programme, designed to increase the availability of funding to social impact sector lenders and the smaller businesses they serve in local communities across the UK.
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University of Brighton receives top award for excellence in supporting small businesses
The University of Brighton’s School of Business and Law has been awarded the Small Business Charter in recognition of its exceptional work supporting local business growth and student enterprise.
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Survey reveals one in four workers take time off due to stress
One in four (24%) UK employees have taken time off work in the past 12 months due to stress, new research from Avilio has found.
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2024 Medway Business Awards announces winners
Businesses from across Medway, Kent gathered on Friday 22 November at the prestigious Corn Exchange in Rochester to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Medway Business Awards.
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Brighton-based agency Whitespace joins The Creative Group
The Creative Group has announced its latest collaboration with Whitespace, a Brighton-based agency renowned for its expertise in brand, digital, design and strategy.
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Campaign calls on investors to ‘Choose Canterbury’
Canterbury is an amazing place to do business. That’s the message behind the Choose Canterbury campaign and website, which is being launched today (26 November), designed to bring businesses to the district and boost jobs.
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Ironmonger Yard given go-ahead following major design revision
A prominent derelict site at the end of Rochester High Street is to be given a new life after revised designs for a major residential scheme were approved by Medway Council’s Planning Committee.
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Peel Ports to invest £30m in new RoRo berth at Port of Sheerness
Peel Ports Group is investing £30 million into the development of a new RoRo (Roll-on, Roll-off) berth at the Port of Sheerness to meet growing demand from new and existing customers.
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Girlings Solicitors supports Holding On Letting Go
Kent law firm Girlings Solicitors has chosen child bereavement charity Holding On Letting Go (HOLG) as its ‘Charity of the Year’.
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Kent Invicta Chamber Business Awards celebrate the best of the county’s business community
2024’s Kent Invicta Chamber Business Awards winners were announced at a gala dinner on Thursday 21 November attended by more than 250of the county’s business leaders.
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FareShare appeals for support to fight hunger this Christmas
Food waste charity FareShare Sussex & Surrey has launched two ambitious campaigns to help feed those in need this winter.
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FCC Environment seeks new talent in Kent schools
Staff members from FCC Environment, which owns and operates the Allington Energy from Waste plant, took time out from their day jobs to attend an inspirational event at St Simon Stock Catholic School designed to promote careers education in Kent.
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Kent’s Must Have Ideas crowned winner at 2024 Great British Entrepreneur Awards
Kent-based e-commerce business Must Have Ideas has clinched a prestigious win at the 2024 Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
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Most people underestimate the scale of the UK’s gender pay gap
Research by HR and payroll software provider Ciphr shows that most people significantly underestimate how pervasive the gender pay gap is in most occupations and industries in the UK.
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Local businesses given ‘help to grow’ by Christ Church Business School
Canterbury Christ Church University is offering its Help to Grow: Management Course in January 2025, and applications are now open to local business owners.
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Pureprint Group acquires Ashford Colour Press from administration
Pureprint Group has acquired Ashford Colour Press from administration, strengthening the company’s position in the print and publishing sector by extending its capabilities into inkjet printing and enhancing its digital and on-demand print solutions.
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Lewes brewery to move into revamped Newhaven pub
Funding from Newhaven Enterprise Zone (NEZ) will enable the former Jolly Boatman pub building in Newhaven to reopen next year, with a Lewes brewery set to move in.
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Less than half of UK workers take regular breaks from their desk, survey finds
A survey by Surrey-based workplace product supplier AJ Products has revealed that only 41.5% of UK workers in desk-based roles take hourly breaks.
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Will the Budget stifle future innovation or boost growth in Sussex?
Changes to employer national insurance (NI) announced in the Budget will add over £900 in business costs annually to the average £33,000 wage in the Brighton and Hove area, according to South East accountancy firm Carpenter Box.
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International trade key to unlocking growth in the UK
Over half (52%) of UK businesses are prioritising international trade as a key growth driver, according to the Santander Trade Barometer.
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Work to begin on Folkestone’s Leas Lift restoration
The restoration of Folkestone Leas Lift has taken a major step forward with the appointment of a principal contractor for the construction work.
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Ashford charitable sector benefits from £500,000
The Frank Brake Community Fund, which was established through Kent Community Foundation in 2019, has awarded more than half a million pounds in funding to small charitable organisations across the district of Ashford.
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Brachers named ‘Top 10 Best Law Firm to Work For’ in UK
Brachers, a law firm based in Maidstone and Canterbury, Kent, has been ranked by Best Companies in its ‘Top 10 Best Law Firms to Work For’ in the UK.
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Ashford’s month-long live music event draws record numbers
Create Music Village’s month of live music in Ashford has drawn to a close for 2024 after attracting record numbers of local people to its events and workshops.
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Brighton-based sustainable lighting business becomes B Corp accredited
Brighton-based bespoke lighting business Spark & Bell has grown from a kitchen table side hustle to a thriving B Corp accredited company with 10 employees and customers in over 20 countries across the world, thanks to support from the Help to Grow: Management Course.
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Flude announces new Brighton lettings
Flude Property Consultants, a Brighton and Hove-based independent chartered surveyor, has been busy this month, announcing a succession of new lettings.
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South East enjoys rise in new business in October
The headline South East Growth Tracker Business Activity Index – NatWest’s seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – fell from 51.2 in September to 49.8 in October, thereby marking the first below-neutral 50.0 reading for four months.
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Brighton’s Urban Forage helps to drive forward progress on UK net zero
Ahead of COP 29, Brighton-based Urban Forage has taken measures to ensure it is one of the small businesses helping to drive progress in the UK’s journey to net zero.
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Surrey’s Vitrine Systems Limited enters administration
Surrey-based architectural and structural glazing specialist Vitrine Systems Limited has entered administration, with financial advisory firm Quantuma’s Nick Simmonds and Chris Newell appointed as joint administrators to oversee the process.
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British businesses ‘risking talent exodus’
UK employees plan on voting with their feet if changes to their role aren’t made by their current employers, research from e-gift provider Prezzee reveals.
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Buckmore Park in Kent invests in its future
The owners of Buckmore Park have unveiled plans to create The Paddock, a new motorsport-themed centre at the Kent karting circuit.
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South East shows impressive video games startup growth
The South East of England is one of the most important hubs for video games development startups in the UK, according to new research published by TIGA, the trade association representing the games industry.
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Berrisons Delicatessen opens in Hove to champion local producers
Berrisons, a new delicatessen in the heart of Hove, East Sussex, officially opened its doors on 1 November at 80 Church Road.
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2024 Kent Property Market Report: Confidence returns to the county’s commercial property market
With business confidence higher than last year and the economy looking more positive, the outlook for the property industry is improving, according to the 33rd edition of the annual Kent Property Market Report.
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Oak Creative to exhibit at The Vineyard and Winery Show 2024
Kent-based branding agency Oak Creative Design will return to The Vineyard and Winery Show on 20 November at The Kent Showground in Detling.
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Kent’s No 9 Restaurant named finalist for ‘New Tourism Business of the Year’
Chapel House Estate’s No 9 Restaurant, located in Minster, Kent, has been named a finalist in the prestigious Beautiful South Tourism Awards, competing in the ‘New Tourism Business of the Year’ category.
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Advo acquires Kent-based Mustard Payroll
HR and Payroll consultancy Advo One Limited has completed a deal to buy Kent-based payroll bureau Mustard Payroll Limited for an undisclosed sum.
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Regional insolvency-related activity spikes sharply
Insolvency-related activity has spiked sharply in the South East, says R3, the UK’s insolvency and restructuring trade body.
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Stylish office space in Brighton sells above asking price
Flude Property Consultants has announced the recent sale of 30-31 Devonshire Place, Brighton.
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Countrystyle Recycling uses AI to improve road safety
Kent-based waste management company Countrystyle Recycling has been recognised for its efforts to ensure its drivers are safe at the 2024 UK Fleet Champions Awards, administered by national road safety charity Brake.
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Dandara acquires three new South East sites in a week
Independent housebuilder Dandara will be bringing over 200 high-quality new homes to the South East of England after acquiring three important development sites.
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Construction begins on new retirement community in Dunston Green
Construction is well underway in Dunton Green, Sevenoaks, to create a new retirement living development from McCarthy Stone, with “independence and community at its heart”.
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East Sussex distribution specialist lands six-figure fleet investment
Hailsham-based Pallet-Track Sussex is investing over £250,000 per year in trucks and branded trailers to replace its entire fleet as it works on improving efficiency and growing its presence in the region.
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Brighton brokerage firm wins ‘industry Oscars’
Brighton-based brokerage firm Hooray Health & Protection bagged four awards at the UK Health & Protection Awards 2024, including the highly sought-after ‘Advice Firm of the Year’ accolade.
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Local partnership wins National Lottery funding for five-year employment support initiative
A local partnership of Raven Housing Trust, Saxon Weald, Rosebery, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council (RBBC), Surrey County Council, East Surrey College, and the charity Good Company, has won National Lottery funding for a visionary five-year employment support project called Work Smart Surrey & Sussex, which began last month.
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Autumn Budget 2024: Reactions from the business community
Earlier today (30 October), Chancellor Rachel Reeves presented the much-anticipated Autumn Budget, introducing significant changes to employers’ national insurance contributions, inheritance tax, capital gains tax, and other areas. Let’s explore the reactions from the business community.
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The Sussex Exchange hospitality venue goes on the market
The Sussex Exchange mixed-use hospitality facility in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, has been put on the market and is available immediately to buy or let.
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Lower Thames Crossing Skills Hub pilot launches
A partnership designed to help overcome training and employment barriers and create a skills legacy linked to the Lower Thames Crossing has launched a training initiative.
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Lloyds’ Business Barometer: The South East’s Budget wish list revealed
South East businesses are calling on the Chancellor to prioritise tax when she delivers her first Budget, according to the latest data from Lloyds’ Business Barometer.
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Unlocking investment for improved road and rail services in Kent will be key to unlocking future UK growth
Locate in Kent, the inward investment agency for Kent and Medway, is calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves to recognise the importance of the region when she delivers her first budget this Wednesday.
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Businesses’ profit expectations at three-year low as Autumn Budget approaches
New research from business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP finds that mid-market business confidence is faltering ahead of the Autumn Budget on 30 October as profit growth expectations sink to a three-year low and confidence in their funding position continues a downward trajectory since the beginning of the year.
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Company directors warned over increased liability risks
Directors of troubled companies must fulfil their duties to the letter of the law and be able to prove it or face personal liabilities, potential disqualification or even prosecution, warns insolvency specialist R3.
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New partner hire expands Mayo Wynne Baxter’s Sussex family team
Sussex law firm Mayo Wynne Baxter has further expanded its growing family team with the appointment of experienced partner Marie Stock.
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Work starts on 103,000 sq ft urban logistics development in Southwater
Developer Chancerygate has started construction on a new 103,000 sq ft Grade A urban logistics development in Southwater, near Horsham, West Sussex.
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METALL forum supports Sussex and Surrey manufacturers
Sussex and Surrey manufacturers looking to grow overseas benefited from advice from one of the UK’s leading international trade experts at the latest meeting of METALL, the forum for the region’s manufacturing, engineering and technology businesses.
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10 businesses embark on Discovery Park’s ‘Discovery Spark’ programme
In a bid to enable future success and growth, 10 entrepreneurial life science and technology businesses have begun the immersive Discovery Spark programme, with a prize package worth over £50,000 up for grabs.
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Bedfont Receives highly commended status at Kent Mental Wellbeing Awards
Medtech company Bedfont Scientific Ltd, based in Harrietsham, Kent, has received recognition for creating a supportive and inclusive workplace and commitment to mental wellbeing at the Kent Mental Wellbeing Awards.
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Kent IT firm celebrates 30 years in business and announces leadership changes
Select Technology, based in Paddock Wood, Kent, has marked its 30th anniversary with a celebration event and the announcement of changes at the top as the company looks to the future.
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Martin Searle Solicitors advises on new sexual harassment law
New legislation comes into force this week that increases penalties for employers who fail to prevent sexual harassment in the course of their workers’ employment. Martin Searle Solicitors recommends new steps in advance of the Christmas party season.
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JE Bennett Law recognised in Chambers and Partners UK Legal Guide 2025
Tunbridge Wells, Kent-based JE Bennett Law has been recognised in the Chambers and Partners UK Legal Guide 2025.
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South East businesses call for greater certainty to stimulate growth ahead of next week’s Budget
With one week to go until the Autumn Budget and the anticipated publication of the government’s business tax roadmap, companies in the South East are calling for more certainty on taxes to help stimulate growth within the region, according to the latest research from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP.
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Confidence returning to Surrey commercial property market
Office market confidence is returning across the Thames Valley, Oxford and Surrey but a lack of new industrial supply remains a core issue for the commercial market, according to a report from property consultancy Vail Williams.
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Gateley Legal announces senior construction appointment
Gateley Legal has bolstered its construction offering in the South East with the appointment of legal director Maria Coker at its Guildford, Surrey office.
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Thanet in Kent named new business capital of South East
Thanet is the South East’s emerging new business capital, with 30% more enterprises registered in the past year compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to research carried out by UK packaging supplier Carrier Bag Shop.
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UK Power Networks honoured at Apprenticeship and Skills Awards 2024
UK Power Networks’ apprenticeship scheme has been recognised among outstanding employers across the South East at the regional Apprenticeship and Skills Awards 2024.
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Group of Sussex businesswomen launch shopping emporium in Billingshurst
A group of local businesswomen have assumed ownership of Rocking Horse on Billingshurst High Street in Sussex, unveiling a shopping emporium designed to cater to individuals of all ages.
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South East records highest small business loan and overdraft approval in the UK
The British Business Bank’s fourth annual ‘Nations and Regions Tracker’ finds that the South East performed well in 2023 with regard to external finance usage, with it rising in the region by 12 percentage points.
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Work starts on new clubhouse and pitches for Sittingbourne Rugby Club
A ceremony has taken place to mark the start of work on a new future for Sittingbourne Rugby Club, with a two-storey clubhouse, improved sports facilities and state-of-the-art pitches on the way.
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Kreston Reeves celebrates another double award win at Accounting Excellence Awards
Accountants, business and wealth advisers firm Kreston Reeves is celebrating winning two awards at the Accounting Excellence Awards 2024 and being a finalist in two other categories.
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WIBN Kent to host second Christmas event
After the success of its 2023 gathering, which raised £1,300, the Women in Business Network (WIBN) Kent is hosting its second annual Christmas event and charity raffle.
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“Overwhelmed” SME leaders feel they should know more than they do
Significant numbers of small and medium-sized business leaders feel “overwhelmed” by their roles and “like they should know more than they do”, according to new research from the Small Business Charter.
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3,700 sq ft of high-quality office space now let in Brighton
Flude Property Consultants has announced the recent letting of the 2nd floor offices at 19A Portland Street in central Brighton to Run VT, an award-winning and highly successful TV post-production company.
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Kent legal assistant named ‘best in the country’ at British Wills and Probate Awards
Private client legal assistant Nicola Huseyin of Kent and London law firm Thackray Williams has been named ‘Legal Assistant of the Year’ at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2024.
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How new packaging laws will impact UK businesses
Many UK businesses will face changes to how they manage packaging waste, with new packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws being phased in for the UK. Waste experts from Business Waste detail what this will mean for companies…
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Southern Water relaunches Business Partnership Fund
Southern Water’s Business Partnership Fund is back for a third round. The regional water supplier is on the look-out for new and innovative ideas to help reduce water use in businesses across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Sussex and Kent.
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Bedfont Scientific triumphs at 2024 Chamber Business Awards
Maidstone, Kent-based medtech company Bedfont Scientific Ltd has been named regional winner of the prestigious British Chamber of Commerce ‘Digital Revolution Award’.
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Book Brilliance Publishing makes an impact as a ‘Business For Good’
Book Brilliance Publishing, based in Epsom, Surrey, has announced its partnership with B1G1 (Buy1Give1), a global initiative dedicated to transforming everyday business activities into opportunities to create positive, lasting impacts on communities worldwide.
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Pilbeam urges government to address chronic skills gap
Sussex-based contractor Pilbeam Construction is urging the government to take immediate action to tackle the escalating skills gap and prioritise SMEs in the construction sector.
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Allica Bank partners with the Federation of Small Businesses
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has signed a partnership with business bank Allica Bank to give FSB members exclusive access to a market-leading rate of return on their savings.
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Growth of South East private sector sustained
The headline NatWest South East Growth Tracker Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – fell from 54.3 in August to 51.2 in September.
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Locate in Kent responds to delay for Lower Thames Crossing
Locate in Kent CEO Nick Fenton has commented on yesterday’s decision by the Secretary of State for Transport concerning the development consent order for the Lower Thames Crossing.
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Housing report predicts first-time buyer boom for Brighton
Demand for residential property is expected to boom in Brighton & Hove by 2040, according to Sussex law firm Mayo Wynne Baxter, following a major report which predicts a surge in first-time buyers despite the challenges around affordability.
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Directors warned to avoid rogue unlicensed insolvency advisors
Company directors in Kent are being urged to avoid engaging rogue unlicensed insolvency advisors or risk severe financial penalties, being struck off as a director or at worst, a prison sentence, accountancy and advisory firm Azets is warning.
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Employers face imminent new duty to prevent sexual harassment at work
From 26 October 2024, employers will have a legal duty to prevent sexual harassment and will need to take active steps to comply with this duty, says Kent-based employment law specialist Furley Page.
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Panattoni secures major name for Sittingbourne
Panattoni, the largest logistics developer in the UK and Europe, has attracted leading parcel delivery company DPD to take a bespoke, built-to-suit facility at Panattoni Park Sittingbourne.
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Servo Private Wealth achieves CISI Chartered Firm status
Servo Private Wealth, a West Sussex-based specialist independent financial planning business, has been awarded the prestigious CISI Chartered Firm status by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI).
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