The deadline for the annual Somerset Business Awards 2019 has been extended by two weeks in light of the additional pressures faced by the county’s businesses as a result of Brexit. The awards are run by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce and Chief Executive Stephen Henagulph said local businesses were facing unprecedented pressures and the very real prospect of a no-deal Brexit on 31 October. M...

The latest Quarterly Recruitment Outlook from the British Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with Totaljobs, has found that recruitment intentions strengthened in the second quarter of 2019, while difficulties finding suitable staff eased, but remained high by historic standards.60% of UK businesses attempted to recruit new hires in the previous three months, an increase from 53% in Q1. 6...

Today the British Chambers of Commerce – which represents 75,000 firms of all sizes and sectors, employing 6 million people – has written to incoming Prime Minister Boris Johnson setting out 15 urgent, immediate steps that the PM must address on arrival in Downing Street to boost business confidence and stimulate the UK economy. From the critical need to avoid a messy and disorderly Brexit on...

Commenting on the announcement that Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP has won the Conservative leadership contest and will be the next Prime Minister, Dr Adam Marshall, Director General at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: “The message to Boris Johnson from business communities around the UK couldn’t be simpler: the time for campaigning is over — and we need you to get down to business. ...

BUSINESSES and charities across Somerset are being reminded there are just over two weeks left to enter the 2019 Somerset Business Awards. Businesses have until 9 August to enter the awards, which are organised annually by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce. They are free for all Somerset businesses to enter, not just Chamber members, while the prestigious awards themselves have a completely new lo...

Business is calling on the next Prime Minister to reduce the unsustainable cost of employing people in the UK. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of firms report the cost burden of employment has increased compared to five years ago, according to new research by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and global job site Indeed. Based on the responses of over 900 firms from across the country, the survey...

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show inflation held steady in June but the ongoing Brexit uncertainty is hitting both consumer and business confidence, according to Sure Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). Commenting on the ONS inflation statistics for June 2019, Mr Thiru said: “Inflation held steady in June, as the upward pressures f...

SOMERSET Chamber of Commerce is surveying businesses to find out if the county’s current internet provision is hampering growth and whether slow speeds are causing problems for day-to-day transactions and operations. Poor internet connections have long been highlighted as an issue by Chamber members and the survey, which has been launched this week in association with ultrafast broadband provid...

Brexit uncertainty is continuing to adversely affect the UK economy, despite the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing a return to growth in May. According to Suren Thiru, Head of Economics for the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), the UK economy is still faltering despite the latest statistics. The economy grew 0.3% from the month before, after declining 0.4% in...

Over half of UK businesses with staff from outside the UK would be negatively impacted by Government proposals for the UK’s future immigration system, according to new research released today (Tuesday) by the British Chambers of Commerce and global job site Indeed. According to a survey of 380 businesses that currently employ non-UK nationals, 53% report they would be negatively impacted by pro...

Somerset Chamber’s Membership Manager Ritchie Cridge has raised more than £5,700 for St Margaret’s Hospice in memory of his grandad, Derek Cridge. For the last year, Ritchie has run 5k every day to raise money for the hospice which cared for his grandad, who died of lung cancer due to asbestos in 2014. Ritchie’s family and friends, as well as Somerset Chamber members, turned out in force ...

Businesses keen to get the edge over would-be rivals have been given some top tips on how to submit a potentially winning entry in this year’s Somerset Business Awards. Organised by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce, the awards celebrate the best of Somerset businesses and their achievements in 14 different categories across all industries and sectors. Judges and previous winners were on-hand ...

The British Chambers of Commerce’s Quarterly Economic Survey – the largest private sector survey of business sentiment and a leading indicator of UK GDP growth, closely watched by policymakers including the Bank of England – has found that underlying economic conditions remained stagnant in the second quarter of 2019.The balance of manufacturing firms reporting improved domestic order...

Somerset Chamber Chief Executive Stephen Henagulph has welcomed confirmation of the preferred route for the new A358 dual-carriageway between Taunton and Ilminster, but urged caution as there is still no timescale in place for the upgrade to be carried out. Speaking on BBC Somerset this morning (Friday, 28 June), Mr Henagulph said anything which improved journey times to Taunton and the M5 from t...

New research by the British Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with global job site Indeed, reveals the increasing time it’s taking businesses to recruit the skills they need, emphasising the importance of removing blockers in the training system to develop a pipeline of talent. Today the BCC and Indeed also release The Hiring Handbook to help businesses find and recruit the best people. Hal...