Swindon & Wiltshire News 24.04.2026 Hospitality group Butcombe has completed a significant refinancing deal supported by NatWest. The new deal is set to support the group’s further investment in its 118-strong estate of managed and tenanted pubs, boutique inns, and brewing operations across Somerset, Bristol, and beyond. Headquartered near Bristol, Butcombe Group employs 1,855 people and […]
Swindon & Wiltshire News 23.04.2026 Thanks Donald – WH Smith cuts outlook amid weaker passenger spending WH Smith has suspended its dividend and warned of weaker profits, as geopolitical disruption and slowing passenger spending weigh on the travel retail sector. The Swindon-headquartered FTSE 250 group said on Thursday it would halt shareholder payouts in a […]
Swindon & Wiltshire News 23.04.2026 MINI milestone marked at Swindon manufacturing plant BMW Group marked a major milestone this week as workers at the MINI Plant Swindon gathered to celebrate the site’s 25th anniversary. The Swindon facility, which produces body pressings and sub-assemblies for MINI models built in Oxford, has been […]
Swindon & Wiltshire News 23.04.2026 MP visits Wiltshire’s new carbon-removal facility A Wiltshire MP has visited Pure Data Centres’ pioneering biochar facility in Royal Wootton Bassett, following the company’s announcement of a £24 million investment in what is set to become the UK’s largest biochar plant. Operated by Pure Data […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Support Friday April 24 2026 Hospitality group Butcombe has completed a significant refinancing deal supported by NatWest. The new deal is set to support the group’s further investment in its 118-strong estate of managed and tenanted pubs, boutique inns, and brewing operations across Somerset, Bristol, and beyond. Headquartered near Bristol, Butcombe Group employs 1,855 people and […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Thursday April 23 2026 Thanks Donald – WH Smith cuts outlook amid weaker passenger spending WH Smith has suspended its dividend and warned of weaker profits, as geopolitical disruption and slowing passenger spending weigh on the travel retail sector. The Swindon-headquartered FTSE 250 group said on Thursday it would halt shareholder payouts in a […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Manufacturing Thursday April 23 2026 MINI milestone marked at Swindon manufacturing plant BMW Group marked a major milestone this week as workers at the MINI Plant Swindon gathered to celebrate the site’s 25th anniversary. The Swindon facility, which produces body pressings and sub-assemblies for MINI models built in Oxford, has been […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Innovation Thursday April 23 2026 MP visits Wiltshire’s new carbon-removal facility A Wiltshire MP has visited Pure Data Centres’ pioneering biochar facility in Royal Wootton Bassett, following the company’s announcement of a £24 million investment in what is set to become the UK’s largest biochar plant. Operated by Pure Data […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Property Thursday April 23 2026 MCR expands regional office portfolio with Bristol and Swindon acquisitions A major regional property investment deal has seen MCR Property Group expand its South West footprint with the acquisition of office assets in both Bristol and Swindon, underlining continued investor interest in value-add opportunities across secondary UK cities. The […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Wednesday April 22 2026 Two-in-five Thames Valley firms plan price rises in next quarter Two-in-five businesses in the Thames Valley intend to increase their prices in the next three months, as they battle rising costs of their own. The results of the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce quarterly economic survey suggests 41 per […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Education, training and skills Tuesday April 21 2026 Skills shortages threaten mid-market growth in Central South Nearly a quarter of mid-sized businesses in Central South say difficulties recruiting and retaining people with the right skills is one of the biggest barriers to growth over the next six months, according to the latest research from accountancy […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Tuesday April 21 2026 Reforms to improve vet fee transparency welcomed Reforms to improve vet fee transparency have been welcomed by the founder of premium pet-sitting service Birddog Catwalk. The changes follow a major investigation which found that pet owners often lack clear information on pricing and services from their […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Friday April 17 2026 Iran war takes toll as output falls amid decline in new orders Companies across the South West have signalled renewed falls in both business activity and new orders in March, according to the latest NatWest Growth Tracker. At 48.7 in March, the headline South West Business Activity Index – a seasonally […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Property Friday April 17 2026 Government gives green light for medical firm’s warehouse A major Wiltshire employer has won the final go-ahead for a massive new warehouse. Gompels Healthcare won planning approval last month after telling Wiltshire councillors that it would move to Coventry with the loss of nearly 200 local jobs […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Property Thursday April 16 2026 Houses could be built on empty business park Nearly 300 houses could be built on a Wiltshire business park, after the landowner failed to attract interest from businesses. The 15-hectare Hawke Ridge Business Park, north of Westbury, was unveiled with great fanfare in 2014, with Wiltshire Council […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Wednesday April 15 2026 Permanent staff appointments fell at quickest rate for six months in March A steeper fall in permanent job placements across the South in March highlighted continued caution among employers as uncertainty over the economic outlook weighed on hiring, according to the latest KPMG and Recruitment & Employment Confederation UK Report on […]
Swindon & Wiltshire M&A, deals Wednesday April 15 2026 Collaborators complete official merger Multi-disciplinary advisory, tax and audit firm Moore Kingston Smith has merged with long-term collaborator Moore South. The deal unites two long‑established practices within the Moore UK network and combines the strengths of both firms while ensuring complete continuity for […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Property Tuesday April 14 2026 New medical manufacturer acquires production facility with HSBC funding A newly-formed medical device manufacturing business has secured a seven-figure funding package from HSBC UK to acquire a major medical technology production facility in Swindon. Quvara Medical, part of the Buckland Group, which specialises in the production of autoinjectors, […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Tuesday April 14 2026 Civil engineering firm MJ Church lands multi-million pound M4 contract Wiltshire-based engineering firm MJ Church has been awarded a multi-million pound contract to improve Junction 17 of the M4 by Wiltshire Council. If approved by the Department for Transport, the £31 million scheme will see the slip roads at […]
