Swindon & Wiltshire Economy 31.07.2026 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 Economy 22.07.2026 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 Economy 21.07.2026 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 Economy 13.07.2026 HR Dept urges incoming Prime Minister to support SMEs Swindon-based HR Dept is calling on incoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to consider the challenges currently facing small and medium-sized enterprises in the wake of sweeping employment law reforms and rising employment costs. SMEs across the UK, including Wiltshire, […]
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 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 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 Economy Monday July 13 2026 HR Dept urges incoming Prime Minister to support SMEs Swindon-based HR Dept is calling on incoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to consider the challenges currently facing small and medium-sized enterprises in the wake of sweeping employment law reforms and rising employment costs. SMEs across the UK, including Wiltshire, […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Monday July 13 2026 Jobs: temp billings continued to climb in June Recruitment activity across the South of England showed tentative signs of stabilisation in June, as temporary hiring strengthened and the decline in permanent placements eased, according to the latest KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs. The survey, compiled […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Thursday July 9 2026 Swindon town centre to undergo massive clean-up this summer Swindon town centre is to undergo a massive clean-up this summer – with the owners of commercial properties told to tidy up their premises. Street cleaning, graffiti removal, paving repairs, weed clearance and bench refurbishments will all form part […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Monday July 6 2026 Devolution could boost rural economies – report English devolution could unlock billions in extra tax receipts and level up long‑overlooked rural economies, according to a new report from countryside charity the Campaign to Protect Rural England. Devolution has hit the headlines again this week, with Manchester […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Thursday July 2 2026 Megadeals drive South West equity boom, but deal numbers fall The South West saw the biggest percentage rise in equity investment of any UK nation or region in 2025, with funding for smaller businesses more than doubling to £687 million, according to the British Business Bank’s annual Small Business […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Thursday July 2 2026 Business West presses case for Thames Valley devolution Business West has pressed the case for Thames Valley devolution after Oxfordshire County Council pulled the plug on a deal that that would have brought billions of pounds of investment to the Thames Valley. Councils from Swindon to Reading […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Wednesday July 1 2026 £700,000 scheme to boost market towns launched A £700,000 plan to drive economic growth in Wiltshire has been agreed by Wiltshire Council leaders. At a meeting of the council’s Liberal Democrat-led Cabinet last week, members voted in favour of the package, which includes a £250,000 small […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Tuesday June 30 2026 South West sees biggest business confidence rise of any region The South West has seen the biggest confidence rise of any region last month, climbing 22 points to 44 per cent in June, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds. Companies in the South West reported higher confidence […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Tuesday June 30 2026 Seventy per cent of UK businesses fear economic uncertainty UK businesses have been hit hard by economic issues and remain worried and pessimistic about the future of UK plc, according to new research from international accountancy and business advisory group Azets. The findings of the Q2 2026 Azets […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Tuesday June 23 2026 Most south west business ‘able to withstand economic shocks’ South West businesses are showing resilience in response to global uncertainty, with 80 per cent saying they are confident in their ability to withstand economic shocks, according to new findings from the Lloyds Business Barometer. More than half (60 […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Tuesday June 23 2026 Leap for foreign direct investment in Swindon, as Bristol leads Bristol remained the South West’s leading destination for inward investment last year, with Swindon recording four projects — a notable increase from just one in 2024, according to a new report. South West England maintained stable levels of foreign […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Friday June 19 2026 Thames Valley devolution bid in tatters after Oxfordshire Lib Dems pull plug A “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to create one of the UK’s most powerful regional economies has been dealt a significant blow after Liberal Democrat leaders in Oxfordshire refused to agree a proposed Thames Valley Foundation Strategic Authority. The decision, taken at […]
