Business News

Almost 50 businesses will benefit from Wolverhampton Council’s city centre west Relaunch Grant – with only a handful of traders choosing not to apply. Almost 90 per cent of eligible businesses submitted applications by the June 30 deadline for the scheme, which offers businesses a one-off amount of £5,000, even though the council is not legally obliged to do so.

Harrods, the world's leading luxury department store, has today announced the launch of its very first private members' club with the new club in Shanghai set to open at the end of the year. Housed in the impressive Cha House in the heart of the city, The Residence will epitomise Harrods' quintessential British luxury, creating a destination committed to the finest hospitality for an exclusive membership community.

A big female sports personality has been added to the list of impressive, confirmed speakers for the one-day event. Downtown in Business, in association with VSI Executive Education, is hosting its inaugural Business of Sport conference on Thursday 7th September 2023, at the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Stadium, home of Lancashire County Cricket Club.

A 455-home high-quality development, district centre and 55 later living units will be built in Bedworth after being given the go-ahead by councillors – following support by planning experts at Marrons. The Hospital Lane scheme – led by land promoter Richborough – will provide a range of one to five-bedroomed properties, 25% of which will be affordable. All properties will have secure, on-plot cycle storage, while those with dedicated parking will also be fitted with electric vehicle charge points.

CG Couture presented a Pop-Up Sale yesterday, presenting quality garments from bridal to everyday ready-to-wear looks. A special introduction on the day was a selection of Afro-centric greeting cards by the new arm to the brand, CG publishing. The event also featured a competition where long-standing clients were encouraged to bring along their oldest, now vintage CG Couture item. And, given CG’s rich history in the trade; the person with the oldest garment won, and was given a bonus - if it still fitted!

From mountaintops to the depths of the seas, American women scientists are tackling global problems. In the past, there were very few women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs, but today women hold nearly 3 in 10 of those jobs.

The United Nations has designated February 11 the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Thanks to initiatives like IF/THEN, launched by the Lyda Hill Philanthropies and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 125 women are mentoring girls who will join them as the scientific leaders of tomorrow.

Communities in Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley are set to benefit from thousands of new jobs and £1.2 billion of investment as part of the UK’s first Advanced Manufacturing Investment Zone. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has today (14 July) hailed the first Advanced Manufacturing Investment Zone in South Yorkshire for bringing opportunity into areas which have traditionally underperformed economically.

42Gears, a leading provider of Mobile Device Management solutions, is excited to announce that SureMDM, its flagship world-class Mobile Device Management platform, now fully supports ChromeOS. With this expansion, 42Gears SureMDM now offers organisations a complete suite of management features to streamline ChromeOS device administration, ease application management, enhance security, and optimise productivity.

Young people who have been part of the Wolverhampton House Project joined staff and their peers from across the country to celebrate The National House Project’s fifth anniversary recently. The Wolverhampton House Project, a partnership between the City of Wolverhampton Council, The National House Project, Wolverhampton Homes and commercial partner Reconomy, was launched in 2019.

Webb Fontaine, a global leader in AI-powered trade technology and Customs facilitation solutions, is proud to announce that Guinea Customs has chosen its state-of-the-art Smart Tracking solutions to enhance trade facilitation processes. Alioune Ciss, CEO of Webb Fontaine, said: "As a trusted partner to Guinea Customs, we are excited to provide our advanced tracking solutions to drive efficiency and security in trade facilitation.

Greater Birmingham businesses are showing signs of recovery thanks to a significant upturn in domestic sales and orders, a new economic report reveals. According to the latest Quarterly Business Report from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, firms across the region “remain upbeat and optimistic about the opportunities ahead” despite the pressures of inflation, interest rate raises and labour market shortages.

Wolverhampton-born founder of Poundland, Steve Smith, who was the keynote at the Nachural Summer Business Awards which took place at the Wolverhampton Racecourse, said in times of uncertainty, focus was key to success. He also added that his success was down to the quality of the workforce who lived in Wolverhampton and had worked for him.

The sixth Midlands Food, Drink and Hospitality Awards took place on 10 July at Birmingham Eastside Rooms, to honour and celebrate the region’s thriving hospitality scene. The grand awards ceremony, organised and run by BEvents, saw 27* impressive businesses and individuals, recognised for their ongoing outstanding achievements across the hospitality industry. 

The UK’s largest listed provider of rental homes, Grainger plc, has revealed its second build-to- rent development in Birmingham is to be named “The Silver Yard” after the city’s connection to the historic manufacturing of silverware.

Following the success of Grainger’s first development in the city, Gilders Yard, which launched in the Jewellery Quarter in August 2022 and was fully leased in just over 3 months, The Silver Yard, is named to celebrate J. W. Evans Silver Factory – a nearby landmark which was established in 1881 and still stands today with much of the original equipment and workshop still intact today.

Building upon the remarkable achievements of the renowned UK Black Business Show x HSBC UK 25 Black entrepreneurs to watch list in 2021 and 2022, we are thrilled to present you with a fresh compilation of remarkable Black entrepreneurs who are changing the landscape in the UK.

From an early age, young Black individuals become acutely aware of the multitude of challenges they must confront, their race has a significant influence on how they are perceived by others. This list acts as a wellspring of inspiration to provide relatable role models.

Research from CMC Markets has revealed Reading as the UK city opening the most successful new businesses in the last five years, with just 0.13% going into liquidation. 

The study used business intelligence software, Endole, to analyse how many businesses were incorporated in the UK’s largest 25 cities from December 2017 to December 2022 compared to the number that went into administration, liquidation, or were dissolved. Alongside Reading, Stoke-on-Trent, Plymouth, and Cardiff are also home to some of the UK’s most thriving businesses and entrepreneurs.