Swindon & Wiltshire News 13.08.2026 Swindon submits bid to be UK City of Culture 2029 A bid to make Swindon the UK City of Culture 2029 has been officially submitted by Swindon Borough Council and Swindon Culture Collective. The bid – which is backed by many of the town’s major firms – sets out […]
Swindon & Wiltshire News 12.08.2026 Crackdown on vape and betting shops welcomed by West leaders Sweeping new powers to block the spread of vape shops, betting outlets, and adult gaming centres have been welcomed by West leaders. The measures – set out by Andy Burnham yesterday – are designed to give communities greater control […]
Swindon & Wiltshire News 12.08.2026 South West businesses return to growth South West businesses made a positive start to the second half of 2026, with both business activity and new orders returning to growth in July. The latest NatWest South West Growth Tracker showed the region’s Business Activity Index rose […]
Swindon & Wiltshire News 10.08.2026 Swindon’s Big Town Centre Clean-Up gets underway Power-washing of paved areas in Swindon town centre has begun as part of an ongoing public realm improvements being delivered through The Big Town Centre Clean-Up. The cleaning programme will take place between 6am and 8.30am on weekdays over […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Culture Thursday August 13 2026 Swindon submits bid to be UK City of Culture 2029 A bid to make Swindon the UK City of Culture 2029 has been officially submitted by Swindon Borough Council and Swindon Culture Collective. The bid – which is backed by many of the town’s major firms – sets out […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Wednesday August 12 2026 Crackdown on vape and betting shops welcomed by West leaders Sweeping new powers to block the spread of vape shops, betting outlets, and adult gaming centres have been welcomed by West leaders. The measures – set out by Andy Burnham yesterday – are designed to give communities greater control […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Wednesday August 12 2026 South West businesses return to growth South West businesses made a positive start to the second half of 2026, with both business activity and new orders returning to growth in July. The latest NatWest South West Growth Tracker showed the region’s Business Activity Index rose […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Retail Monday August 10 2026 Swindon’s Big Town Centre Clean-Up gets underway Power-washing of paved areas in Swindon town centre has begun as part of an ongoing public realm improvements being delivered through The Big Town Centre Clean-Up. The cleaning programme will take place between 6am and 8.30am on weekdays over […]
Swindon & Wiltshire M&A, deals Friday August 7 2026 UK private equity interest in South West up in first half of 2026 Total private equity deals in the South West and Wales rose in the first half of this year, according to KPMG UK’s private equity pulse. The mid-year study into private equity deal activity found that interest in the region […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Tuesday August 4 2026 EY upgrades UK economic outlook, but warns Iran conflict may halt growth The UK economy has demonstrated continued resilience despite disruption from the conflict in the Middle East and is now forecast to grow at a slightly better-than-expected pace in 2026, according to the new UK Economic Outlook from Bristol-based accountancy […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Friday July 31 2026 South West business confidence falls in July Business confidence in the South West fell 14 points during July to 30 per cent, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds – a sharp drop that reflects significant headwinds facing businesses in the region. Companies in the […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Professional services Thursday July 30 2026 Finance needs to be more accessible for women, says advisor Financial adviser Jenny Ashfield has been awarded a diploma in Regulated Financial Planning and has a passion for helping women seeking financial advice. Jenny, 33, originally from Bedfordshire, spent ten years in the motor trade, moving from sales to […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Wednesday July 22 2026 British Business Bank backs 2,800 South West firms as £500 million economic boost forecast The British Business Bank supported 2,800 smaller businesses across the South West in 2025/26, with the funding expected to generate a £500m uplift in regional economic output. Figures from the Bank’s third annual Impact Report show the backed firms […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Tech Wednesday July 22 2026 Wiltshire firms urged to report mobile ‘not spots’ Wiltshire businesses are being urged to continue supporting efforts to improve mobile connectivity across the county by reporting areas where mobile signal is poor or unavailable. Wiltshire Council says the response to its Digital Wiltshire campaign has been extremely […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Tuesday July 21 2026 Cooling cost pressures offer encouragement in the South West despite softer June trading South West businesses faced a tougher trading environment in June as weaker customer demand weighed on activity and new orders, according to the latest NatWest Growth Tracker data. The headline South West Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Property Tuesday July 21 2026 Corsham town centre to get biggest single investment since 1970s. Corsham town centre is to get its “biggest single investment since the 1970s” – at over £5 million. The claim comes from the developers behind the scheme to redevelop the former Lloyds Bank building, which has been vacant since […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Education, training and skills Tuesday July 21 2026 Creative agency celebrates first year of Next Gen work experience programme An innovative work experience initiative designed to give young people meaningful, hands-on experience within a creative agency environment is celebrating its first year. Launched in July 2025 by creative agency GEL Studios, Next Gen was created to move beyond […]
Swindon & Wiltshire M&A, deals Wednesday July 15 2026 Good Energy signs biggest supply deal Wiltshire-headquartered renewable energy provider Good Energy has secured the largest energy supply deal in its 26‑year history, signing a two-year power purchase agreement with Ørsted to buy electricity from its offshore wind farms. The contract runs from October 2026 […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Tech Tuesday July 14 2026 Bristol tech manufacturer reports record growth A Bristol tech manufacturer has reported record growth, almost reaching its entire revenue for last year in just six months. The Exacta Group, parent company to leading brands Exacta Technologies and Blackcore Technologies, has reported record H1 revenue of […]
