Commenting on the Consumer Price Index for September 2017, published today by the ONS, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: “Inflation rose for the second successive month, confirming that price growth remains on an upward trajectory. The rise in September mostly reflects increasing prices for food and recreational goods, along with transport costs, wh...

 Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, penned a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the immigration status of EU citizens living and working in the UK, following the first meeting of the EU Exit Business Advisory Group on Wednesday, 13 September.  Dr Marshall notifies us of the exchange, saying, "Since the referendum, we have repeatedly called o...

As the Conservative Party Conference continues today (Monday) in Manchester, the British Chambers of Commerce has called on the governing party to demonstrate competence and coherence – not division and disorganisation – in the interests of the UK’s economic well-being. The leading business organisation – which represents tens of thousands of UK companies employing nearly six million peop...

Somerset Chamber of Commerce has appointed Alistair Tudor as its Head of Chamber Services. The new position, which has been created to further develop the Chamber’s offering, will oversee the membership, events and marketing functions of the organisation. Alistair will already be familiar to many Somerset Chamber members as he has been working as the Chamber’s Membership Sales Manager for th...

Somerset County Gazette column – 21 September 2017 Dale Edwards, Chief Executive of Somerset Chamber of Commerce   The last decade has seen much debate about the power of big data, which has allowed businesses and organisations to offer more bespoke and targeted products and services tha Whilst there are obvious benefits for both the business and the end user, it can also raise ethical ...

Around 60 business people attended this year’s Bank of England Update, held on 5 September at the Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton.Organised by Somerset Chamber of Commerce, and held in association with the Institute of Directors and the Bank of England, the annual breakfast event is one of the most popular on the Chamber’s events calendar. The Bank of England's Deputy Agent...

Commenting on the labour market statistics for September 2017, released today by the Office for National Statistics, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:  “The continued rise in employment, coupled with falling unemployment, is further evidence that the UK jobs market remains resilient, with firms continuing to recruit despite a softening economic pic...

Somerset Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the latest plans for the £1.6 billion A303 upgrade near Stonehenge, published today by the Department for Transport. Chief Executive, Dale Edwards, said, “Somerset Chamber has long campaigned for government to provide our businesses with better access to markets and customers, whether physical or technological. The right infrastructure in the right pla...

Weston College is an Ofsted outstanding college of further and higher education in Weston-super-Mare, providing education and vocational training to nearly 30,000 learners across the South West and nationally. The College is regarded as one of the top FE colleges in the UK and won both “College of the Year” and “Overall Further Education Provider of the Year” at the 2015 Times Educational...

Commenting on the position paper for continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK, Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: “Businesses here in the UK as well as on the Continent will welcome the British government's desire to maintain maximum continuity in the way goods are traded when the UK withdraws from the EU.  “UK goods will be...

The annual Somerset Chamber membership survey is your chance to tell us what you value most from your membership, what you’d like us to do better, and to highlight any additional activities or benefits that you’d like to see the Chamber offer. If you’re a Chamber member, the link to this year’s survey would’ve been emailed directly to the nominated main point of contact for your busines...

Somerset Chamber’s Hinkley Supply Chain Team has taken on a new Advanced Business and Administration Apprentice, 18 year old Gracie Greenslade from Taunton. Gracie joins the Hinkley Supply Chain Team as it continues to develop the local supply chain database for the Hinkley Point C project, which now comprises more than 3,800 Somerset and South West businesses. She will be helping to manage som...

Around 4 in every 5 businesses have seen their costs increase this year through changes in employment legislation, according to a survey released today (Friday) by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). BCC’s annual workforce survey of over 1,400 businesses and held in partnership with Middlesex University, reveals that pensions auto-enrolment, the National Living Wage and the Apprenticeship ...

This year’s Somerset Chamber charity golf day raised a record amount of £4,000 for local charity Reminiscence Learning. Held at Taunton and Pickeridge Golf Club on 16 August, the Chamber’s 11th annual golf day was a huge success and attracted over 60 business people across 16 teams. The winning team on the day, with 95 points, comprised players from four different companies, namely Atom Ins...

Somerset Chamber is encouraging school leavers to consider the wealth of apprenticeships on offer within the county, providing a valuable opportunity to gain new skills and ‘earn while they learn’. Speaking on A Level results day, Somerset Chamber Chief Executive, Dale Edwards, said, “Our congratulations to all those students across the county who have been successful in their A Levels. �...