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Introducing Business Direction Online, your one stop shop for all local and industry news.
Business Direction Online is updated daily, bringing you news from across Herefordshire & Worcestershire. Explore our Members exciting and important updates and keep up to date with any Chamber news.
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Planning System Putting the Brakes on Growth
Economic growth is still being constrained by a planning system in England that is ‘too slow, under resourced and unpredictable’, according to a new British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) report. The report, Planning for Business and Growth, says that while recent...
Latest Article
Planning System Putting the Brakes on Growth
Economic growth is still being constrained by a planning system in England that is ‘too slow, under resourced and unpredictable’, according to a new British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) report. The report, Planning for Business and Growth, says that while recent...
Member News
NMITE Appoints its First Head of Learning and Teaching To Support the Institution’s Ambitious Development Plans
NMITE has appointed Dr Richard Lillington, as Professor in Engineering and its first Head of Learning and Teaching, marking a key milestone in shaping the institution’s academic growth and strategic direction. He joins NMITE this month (January 2026) from Aston...
Employment Rights Bill: What Every Business Needs to Know
The UK is on the verge of a major employment law overhaul. The Employment Rights Bill—hailed as the most significant upgrade in a generation—is expected to become law imminently. Its impact will be universal: every business, regardless of size or sector, will need to...
Patron & Strategic News
Autumn Budget 2025: Your detailed summary
Rachel Reeves’s second Budget boosts welfare spending paid for through stealth tax rises, and taxes on property, savings and dividends. Income tax rates remain unchanged, but frozen thresholds for a further three years and wealth-focused levies do the heavy lifting. ...
County Council launches new Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy
Worcestershire County Council has published its new Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (EVCI) Strategy, setting out plans to expand access to charging facilities across the county. The strategy follows a countywide engagement exercise where residents and...
Chamber News
Autumn Budget 2024: Key Points
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered Labour’s first Budget since 2010, after the party’s return to power in July’s general election. Here are some key points to take away from the Autumn Budget. Personal Tax and benefits The Minimum wage for adults over 21 is set to...
Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce Release the Quarterly Economic Survey Report for Q3 2024
Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce has released the Quarterly Economic Survey Report for Q3 2024, supported by Worcestershire County Council. The Quarterly Economic Survey is a comprehensive analysis of economic data collected from a diverse range...
Our Latest Member
Hands On At Work are back!
We have just rejoined the Chamber. Initially, we joined in 2010 as a new business needing support and advice. 14 years later we have grown from 2 people to a team of 200+ therapists delivering workplace massage and wellbeing services across the UK. The Chamber gave us...
Hands On At Work are back!
We have just rejoined the Chamber. Initially, we joined in 2010 as a new business needing support and advice. 14 years later we have grown from 2 people to a team of 200+ therapists delivering workplace massage and wellbeing services across the UK. The Chamber gave us...
Policy News
Toxic Mix As Businesses Prepare for Tax Rise
QES_infosheet_Q1_2025 59% of businesses say tax, including national insurance, is now a concern, the second highest level on record following a peak in the previous quarter Business confidence remains subdued, with less than half of firms (48%) expecting turnover to...
US Tariffs To Hit UK Economy
Reacting to news of a 10% tariff on all UK exports to the US and higher tariffs for other countries, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said: “The Government has kept a cool head so far and must continue to negotiate. This is a marathon not a sprint, and...
Skills News
Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards opens for Entries
Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Worcestershire County Council have announced that the popular apprenticeship celebration event, the Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards are returning in 2022. Entries to the awards have now opened with...
National Apprenticeships Week 2022 – Building your future
95% of next year’s UK workforce are already employed this year “The September to November 2021 unemployed people per vacancy figure has fallen to a record 1.1”...
Charity News
Worcester kids to benefit from recruitment firm’s Easter Egg generosity
Expert Worcester jobs firm Pineapple Recruitment has donated over 200 Easter eggs to a local foodbank. Staff at the Diglis-based recruiter, which specialises in providing staff for the hospitality and catering industries, have donated the chocolate treats to Worcester...
St Michael’s Hospice seeks Leader of the Future
St Michael’s Hospice says it wants to appoint a leader of the future to work alongside its senior managers. The Bartestree-based charity has launched a search to recruit a graduate to lead on “exciting and innovative projects”. It’s looking for a candidate graduating...
SMEs Key To Defence Industrial Strategy
Responding to the announcement of the Defence Industrial Strategy, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy, said: “Raising defence investment is not only vital for the UK’s national security in an age of higher geopolitical risk but also to boost growth, jobs, exports and...
BCC News
SMEs Key To Defence Industrial Strategy
Responding to the announcement of the Defence Industrial Strategy, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy, said: “Raising defence investment is not only vital for the UK’s national security in an age of higher geopolitical risk but also to boost growth, jobs, exports and...
Worcestershire News
Two more Autumn Steam Gala Guests for the Severn Valley Railway
The Severn Valley Railway has announced the addition of two more guest locomotives for its Autumn Steam Gala on Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 September. Black Five 44932 and Saddle Tank 51456 will join an exciting line-up of guest and home fleet engines for four days of...
Bank Holiday celebrations for a Century-old Locomotive at the Severn Valley Railway
Bank Holiday visitors to the Severn Valley Railway will get the chance to wish happy birthday to a grand old steam locomotive, as No 4566 celebrates its first century. The locomotive is on static display at The Engine House, Highley and its supporters are busy raising...
Herefordshire News
Preserving History, Building a Future: Colwall Malvern Water Site to House State-of-the-Art Luxury Care Home
Colwall Malvern Water, an iconic site renowned for its centuries-old history and pristine spring water, is poised to embark on a new chapter. The historically significant location, known for its natural mineral-rich spring water, will soon be transformed into a...
Marches LEP Awards Nearly £340,000 of Energy Grants in Green Boost for Business
Nearly £340,000 in grants has been awarded across the Marches under a new scheme to improve energy efficiency and drive down carbon emissions. Thirty companies and community groups across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin have been awarded the funding...
All Latest News
Bespoke- Advice Builds on National Success with Local Apprenticeship and Wellbeing Awards
Worcester-based Chartered financial planning firm and certified B Corp, Bespoke- Advice Ltd, has added two more accolades to its growing list of honours, being named Small Apprentice Employer of the Year at the Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards 2025, and Highly...
Unlocking AI Potential: How the BCC AI Academy Is Helping Local Businesses Thrive
In an age where artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword, but a business imperative, the BCC AI Academy is proving to be a game-changer for regional organisations. This is not just theoretical training; it’s a practical, hands-on programme...
Worcester Awarded Maximum £2.5m Teaching Capital Grant to Expand and Enhance Healthcare Education
The University of Worcester has been awarded £2,493,703 from the Office for Students (OfS) to further enhance its very high-quality education of tomorrow’s nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, paramedics, occupational therapists, physician assistants, midwives and other...
Last Call for Santas! KEMP Hospice calling for participants for Annual Santa Fun Run on Sunday 7th December
KEMP Hospice is calling on the local community to lace up their running shoes, pull on a Santa suit, and join its 18th Santa Fun Run on Sunday 7th December 2025. The charity’s biggest fundraising event of the year and a vital lifeline for people across the Wyre Forest...
Hazelton Mountford expands Worcester office space to drive specialist Property Division growth
Independent chartered insurance broker Hazelton Mountford has expanded across an additional floor at its Worcester headquarters, marking a significant step in the growth of its property division and the company’s expansion plans. The new space, located directly above...
Hazelton Mountford Welcomes Two New Apprentices Amid Exciting Growth
Hazelton Mountford is pleased to welcome Jumeirah and Emma as the company’s newest apprentices. Based at the Worcester office, they will gain hands-on experience across key areas of insurance and client services. Hazelton Mountford’s apprenticeship programme offers a...
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