New figures released today by the British Chambers of Commerce saw the proportion of firms struggling to recruit staff climbing precipitously, with issues in the service sector reaching historically significant levels. Drawn from the BCC’s Quarterly Recruitment Outlook for Q3, the data was derived from a survey of over 5,600 firms.  Attempted recruitment during Q3 was up on previous...

Somerset Chamber will be holding its AGM next month, giving members the chance to find out more about our activities over the last year. There will be financial updates, an insight into the last year’s events calendar, an update from the Hinkley Supply Chain and details about how the Chamber has helped businesses during lockdown and beyond. We will also be appointing new directors at the AGM a...

Small and medium-sized businesses should take action and reduce their carbon footprints now in order to win future contracts based on their green credentials, industry leaders said this week. Half of businesses have started working towards net zero but almost 50% of those surveyed by Somerset Chamber of Commerce said that while they had some knowledge of the subject, they still did not know enoug...

The British Chambers of Commerce's (BCC) Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) – the UK’s largest independent survey of business sentiment and a leading indicator of UK GDP growth – has shown that while businesses continue to recover from the deepest recession on record, persistent weakness in several indicators highlight concerns over the strength of the recovery.  The survey of over 5,...

Commenting on the new EU Export Support Service William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said it was the vital the service offered added value rather than added confusion. He said: "Business has been pointing out the daily difficulties firms, large and small, have had with the new trading terms for EU exports since they started on January 1.   “Many have found...

Businesses in the South West desperately need a roadmap out of the current labour crisis with a clear plan for the future of our workforce or the region’s key sectors may suffer irreparable damage, says the British Chambers of Commerce South West (BCCSW). The organisation, which represents thousands of companies in the South West, says the Government’s plan to provide temporary visas for driv...

The British Chambers of Commerce has likened the Government's temporary visa plan for lorry drivers and poultry workers as "throwing a thimble of water on a bonfire".  Up to 10,500 lorry drivers and poultry workers will be able to apply for temporary UK visas as the Government seeks to limit disruption to supply chains in the run-up to Christmas.Some 5,000 fuel tanker and food lorr...

The Digital Skills Partnership has secured an additional £2.5 million pounds of funding has been for #Train4Tomorrow Skills Bootcamps, to supplement the £2.2 million programme launched earlier in the year. There are 30+ new courses now enrolling, these are open to individuals and employers looking to train employees.  More information is available here:  https://skillslaunchpad.org.uk/skills/...

The Somerset Education Business Partnership is supporting South Somerset 14-19 Partnership to host the second Somerset Virtual Careers Fair on October 14. Sponsored by Hinkley Point C and Abri, the fair attracts an audience of 3,000 year 10 and 11 students across Somerset. It is an ideal opportunity for businesses to showcase their early career opportunities to the next generation. In addition,...

Responding to the latest ONS survey on business conditions, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said: “This data backs up our own findings that the supply chain has been facing persistent challenges for the last few months. It is no surprise that more than one in three trading businesses have experienced problems in sourcing materials, goods and services at home, or had to change s...

Research published by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and SUEZ reveals a significant disconnect between UK businesses’ awareness of the importance of an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) approach and how many have these policies in place. The survey found that nearly seven out of 10 (69%) responding businesses, of more than 1,000 surveyed in the UK, think ‘environmental sustai...

The British Chambers of Commerce has called for the Government to draw-up a winter COVID contingency plan to give businesses clarity. Claire Walker, Co-Executive Director of the BCC, said: “Businesses will be encouraged by the announcements around further steps being taken to protect people from COVID and reduce its spread as we move into the winter season. “But they will be frustrated by th...

Reacting to news of the DIT's five-point plan for digital trade, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy, at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said: “It was good to hear Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the new Secretary of State for International Trade, using her first speech this morning to outline her five-point plan to open up new and secure markets through a focus on digital and business trade fl...

Somerset Chamber welcomed members back to physical events on Wednesday, September 1, at their annual Summer barbecue on the Thatcher’s Terrace at the Cooper Associates County Ground. After running over 260 events online since the start of lockdown, this popular event was a great way of re-starting physical events with guests enjoying reconnecting in person. Alistair Tudor, Operations Manager at...

Entries open tomorrow (Thursday, September 16) for the Somerset Business Awards 2022 and local BBC journalist and broadcaster Claire Carter has been confirmed as the host of the grand final. Businesses have until December 3 to submit their entries via the Somerset Business Awards website at www.somersetbusinessawards.org.uk. There are two new categories – Employee of the Year and the Rebuild an...