After three decades with his home County, Marcus Trescothick will leave Somerset next month to take up a new role with the ECB. Marcus, who became a coach at Somerset last season following a glittering 27 season year playing career, will now fill the role of Elite Batting Coach at the ECB. Marcus (pictured) said: “This is a great opportunity which will allow me to further my coaching career an...

Barclays is providing a bespoke support programme to local businesses to help the UK’s economic recovery at a local level. Focusing first in Taunton Deane one of Barclays’ Rebuilding Thriving Local Economies (RTLE) pilot areas, the package offers support to boost growth for local businesses. The RTLE initiative will provide a range of support to businesses and communities, as Barclays engages...

The Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, Dr Adam Marshall, said the Chancellor must not waste the chance to set out a clear, long-term framework for business recovery in next week's Budget. Speaking in response to the publication of a BEIS Committee report, ‘The impact of Coronavirus on businesses and workers’, Dr Marshall said Chambers had repeatedly warned businesses could ...

Somerset Community Foundation (SCF) is delighted to announce that the 2020/21 Surviving Winter appeal has smashed its target, raising an incredible, record-breaking £160,000, thanks to the generosity of local donors. The annual appeal encourages those who can afford to, to donate some or all of their Winter Fuel Payment. These donations provide funding and support for older and vulnerable neighb...

It’s been a busy year for businesses, with Brexit, COVID-safe workplace measures, and changes to the immigration system coming all at once.  To add to this, from January 1, 2021 the new points-based immigration system is running alongside the grace period for the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS).    Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland who were living the UK before December 31 2020 need to app...

South West-based chartered accountants, tax consultants and financial planners Albert Goodman has announced a support package up for grabs worth over £2,000 aimed at Somerset’s small business owners. The lucky winner will gain access to a variety of services on offer with the aim to raise their profile, professionalise their branding, manage their accounts online and allow them to network with...

Clarke Willmott specialist commercial lawyer Amy Peacey (pictured) looks at some of the implications of Brexit since the transition period ended, particularly on businesses importing and exporting goods: The recent end of the transition period has brought the reality of Brexit into sharp focus for any business moving goods to and from the EU. Since 1 January 2021 EU law has ceased to apply in th...

Results from the latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) survey, in partnership with moneycorp, found that while 44% of UK exporters to the EU plan to grow their exports to the European Union, nearly a quarter (23%) are looking to either reduce their activity in the EU or have no activity at all in the next 12 months, following the ratification of the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement.  Tw...

The UK's unemployment rose to a five year high in the three months to December, rising to 5.1% according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The statistics show 1.74 million people were unemployed in the October to December period, up 454,000 from the same quarter in 2019. Some 726,000 fewer people are currently in payrolled employment than before the start of th...

Young Somerset has announced it has secured premises for a retail shop in the centre of Taunton.   The shop will be an innovative test-and-learn employment project for vulnerable young people in Somerset, combining retail venture with employment and life skills training, while challenging stigma and tackling isolation.   The shop will sell high quality products, designed and ethically produc...

The British Chambers of Commerce has welcomed the Prime Minister’s roadmap for the reopening of businesses, events and activities in England, but said it was critical the stop-start approach to lockdowns came to an end. Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the BCC, said businesses needed clarity and honesty from the Government and called for key business support schemes to be extended as many ...

Kloeckner Metals UK | Westok are proud to announce that they have been awarded BCSA Sustainability Charter “Gold Standard” status on the back of their BES 6001 certification. Westok are active members of the BCSA – British Constructional Steelwork Association. BCSA is committed to Sustainability and has in place a Sustainability Charter. The objective of the Charter is to ensure structural...

The Government has blamed the “ongoing and wide-ranging impacts of the pandemic and economic uncertainty” for its decision to delay a review on business rates. While the findings of an interim report will be published on March 23, the final review will not be completed until the autumn. Suren Thiru, the British Chambers of Commerce Head of Economics, criticised the decision and said the issu...

Children’s charity bibic is appealing for volunteers to join the board as trustees. The board meets six times a year and board meetings are held virtually, lasting around two hours. bibic helps children and young people with neurological or genetic conditions to achieve their full potential, delivering individualised developmental therapy and training to parents and professionals. The charity ...

National law firm Clarke Willmott LLP hosted the first in a series of energy-focussed webinars, partnering with NFU Energy to look at green energy projects in the agricultural sector. The Green Energy Diversification event attracted over 230 people from a wide cross-section of industries including farmers, contractors, land and estate agents, funders, green energy consultants and planning special...