• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Wednesday September 30 2026

South West businesses boosted by strong demand despite confidence fall

Business confidence in the South West fell 30 points during September to 25 per cent, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds. Companies in the South West also reported lower confidence in their own trading outlook month-on-month, down […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Wednesday September 30 2026

Business owners remain confident on growth despite economic uncertainty

South West business owners remain overwhelmingly confident about their prospects despite concerns about potential tax rises, rising costs and ongoing economic uncertainty, according to new research from S&W. The latest Business Owners Sentiment Survey from the accountancy, tax, and […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Monday September 28 2026

West welcomes chancellor’s 130,000 jobs pledge

Chancellor John Healey has pledged to create or support 130,000 new jobs across the UK by 2030, using the National Wealth Fund to crowd in private investment in AI, defence, advanced manufacturing and clean energy – in a move […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Friday September 25 2026

Boarded-up high streets to be brought back to life with £210 million boost

Derelict high street buildings could be transformed into shared workspaces, cafes and community hubs, to bring people back into town centres as part of a £210 million package announced today (Friday, September 25). People are proud of where they […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Tuesday September 22 2026

South West businesses among the most optimistic about their region’s future growth – Lloyds

South West businesses are confident about their region’s economic growth prospects, but just 28 per cent believe their region’s growth will outperform the UK economy in the next year, according to new findings from the Lloyds Business Barometer. Eight […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Thursday September 17 2026

Council says it will use legal powers to force businesses to clean up premises

Businesses in Swindon could be made to clean up their premises, with the local council threatening to use legal powers to compel them. Swindon’s Big Town Centre Clean-Up was a 10‑day blitz in which more than 250 volunteers cleared […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Thursday September 17 2026

Temp billings growth accelerates to joint-quickest in over three years

Temporary hiring in the South West accelerated sharply in August, offering fresh signs that the region’s labour market may be beginning to stabilise despite continued weakness in permanent recruitment. Billings from the employment of short-term staff rose at the […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Monday September 14 2026

SW business activity shows signs of improvement – Bank of England

Business activity in the South West is showing tentative signs of improvement, but remains patchy as consumer weakness and a slumping property market offset gains in exports and some business services, according to the Bank of England’s latest Regional […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Wednesday September 9 2026

Economic growth hits six-month high in South West

South West businesses gained momentum in August, with rising sales and renewed hiring across the region, according to the latest NatWest Growth Tracker. The headline South West Business Activity Index rose from 50.8 in July to 53.0 in August, […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Tuesday September 8 2026

1,000 jobs to be created in UK’s drone capital

More than 1,000 highly-skilled jobs are on course to be created in Swindon following a wave of major investment in drone manufacturing. The surge comes exactly a year after the Government’s Defence Industrial Strategy singled out Swindon as a […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Friday September 4 2026

Employers named over minimum wage breaches

Employers across the South West and Berkshire have been named in a Government minimum-wage enforcement round, which returned almost £4 million to workers nationally. Around 660 employers have been named for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage, with […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Tuesday September 1 2026

Business confidence in the South West jumps as trading outlook and economic optimism surge

Business confidence in the South West rose 25 points during August to 55 per cent, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds, the first time it has outpaced the national average since June 2025. Companies in the South […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Wednesday August 26 2026

Wiltshire parking charges rise from next week

Parking in Wiltshire is set to become more expensive from Tuesday, 1 September, with council-run pay-and-display charges increasing by an average of 20 per cent. The increase will be rounded to the nearest 10p and marks the first change […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Thursday August 20 2026

Pay rises outpace hiring slowdown, jobs report says

Pay is finally moving in the right direction for jobseekers across the South of England, even as employers keep a tight grip on permanent hiring, according to a new report. The latest KPMG and REC Report on Jobs showed […]

• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Tuesday August 18 2026

AI has created new jobs, say South West businesses

AI is helping South West firms create new jobs and build the skills needed to stay competitive, according to research from the Lloyds Business Barometer. Forty-eight per cent of South West businesses already using AI say it has created […]