Swindon & Wiltshire Economy 13.05.2026 Permanent recruitment fell sharply in April – report Permanent recruitment across the South of England fell sharply in April as rising uncertainty and softer business confidence continued to weigh on hiring decisions, according to the latest KPMG and REC Report on Jobs. At the same time, employers […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy 11.05.2026 GWR to be renationalised, government confirms Great Western Railway is set to return to public ownership in December 2026, in one of the biggest milestones yet in the government’s rail renationalisation programme. The move will make GWR the 11th operator brought back under state control […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy 30.04.2026 South West business confidence falls in April Business confidence in the South West fell 24 points during April to 24 per cent, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds. Companies in the South West reported lower confidence in their own trading outlook month-on-month, down 21 […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy 27.04.2026 British businesses ‘need a bazooka’ to take on Trump, China and the effects of Brexit The UK government needs to deploy a “trade bazooka” to defend British businesses against mounting global economic pressures, according to a new report from the British Chambers of Commerce. The business group says UK firms have been left permanently […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Wednesday May 13 2026 Permanent recruitment fell sharply in April – report Permanent recruitment across the South of England fell sharply in April as rising uncertainty and softer business confidence continued to weigh on hiring decisions, according to the latest KPMG and REC Report on Jobs. At the same time, employers […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Monday May 11 2026 GWR to be renationalised, government confirms Great Western Railway is set to return to public ownership in December 2026, in one of the biggest milestones yet in the government’s rail renationalisation programme. The move will make GWR the 11th operator brought back under state control […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Thursday April 30 2026 South West business confidence falls in April Business confidence in the South West fell 24 points during April to 24 per cent, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds. Companies in the South West reported lower confidence in their own trading outlook month-on-month, down 21 […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Monday April 27 2026 British businesses ‘need a bazooka’ to take on Trump, China and the effects of Brexit The UK government needs to deploy a “trade bazooka” to defend British businesses against mounting global economic pressures, according to a new report from the British Chambers of Commerce. The business group says UK firms have been left permanently […]
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 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 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 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 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 […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Monday April 13 2026 Number of households to grow by fifth in West by 2040 The number of households in the South West is set to grow by 20 per cent, adding more than 498,800 households to the region by 2040, according to the latest research by socio-economic experts at planning, design and development […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Monday March 30 2026 South West business confidence rockets in March Business confidence in South West rose 30 points during March to 48 per cent, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds. Companies in South West reported higher confidence in their own trading outlook month-on-month, up 19 points at […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Monday March 23 2026 Recruiter welcomes National Minimum Wage as positive step The National Minimum Wage is a positive force for both employees and employers and sets the foundation for loyalty around recruitment and retention according to a recruitment expert. April will see the National Minimum Wage rise by 4.1 per […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Thursday March 19 2026 Jobs still down in Wiltshire — but signs of a turnaround in recent months There are signs of returning confidence among employers, with organisations reporting an increase of 259 on payroll over the past month, according to analysis of the latest Office for National Statistics payroll data by the employment and pay app […]
Swindon & Wiltshire Economy Thursday March 19 2026 Unleashing West of England could power UK’s growth – report Unleashing the West of England from its structural constraints could see the region reach its potential and power the UK’s growth. That’s one of the key findings of a the first report from research and insight hub The Brunel […]
