Business Direction Online
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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.
If you’re a Chamber Member, you can submit your latest news stories free of charge and promote updates to local business professionals. Contact our Marketing team for more information.
Updating the Modern Staff Handbook: A Forward Thinking Guide for SMEs
In today’s fast-paced business world, a staff handbook should be more than a list of rules; it’s a living guide that communicates how your business operates, sets expectations, and reflects company culture. For SMEs, it’s about making it practical, accessible, and...
Latest Article
Updating the Modern Staff Handbook: A Forward Thinking Guide for SMEs
In today’s fast-paced business world, a staff handbook should be more than a list of rules; it’s a living guide that communicates how your business operates, sets expectations, and reflects company culture. For SMEs, it’s about making it practical, accessible, and...
Member News
Herefordshire’s Sustainable Building Future
Herefordshire stands at the forefront of sustainable construction, with a rich heritage of environmental leadership and ambitious plans for a greener future. As a local business, Merchant701 plays a crucial role in supporting the county’s sustainability journey...
Hereford Military History Festival Honours Herefordshire History with Network of Local Partners and Community Support
HEREFORD, 19th August 2025 — The inaugural Hereford Military History Festival 2025 is a highly ambitious new addition to the UK’s cultural calendar, which aims to support the city’s local community, celebrate its culture and heritage, and honour its rich military...
Patron & Strategic News
University Staff Walk a Symbolic Mile on VE Day
Colleagues at the University of Worcester, an institution founded to ‘win the peace through education’, walked a mile together to commemorate VE Day. The University Mile is a popular circular walking route for staff and students around the University’s St John’s...
Landlords Warned to Guard Against Protected Lease Tenants
A leading commercial property lawyer is warning landlords about the hurdles they face when taking back possession from a tenant with a protected lease – and urged them to seek legal advice to avoid falling foul of the law. The Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 was...
Chamber News
Chair’s Report
I would like to reflect on the efforts that the Chamber makes to support our members in the field of International Trade. While only 10% in total of UK business export, 60% of Chamber members operate in global markets – making the local Chambers and the British...
Three quarters of firms offer flexible working – but significant sectoral disparities exist
According to new research from the British Chambers of Commerce’s (BCC) Insight Unit, the vast majority (76%) of businesses surveyed say they offer flexible working to their employees. The research has been released by the BCC ahead of the Lords’ third reading of the...
Our Latest Member
Lozboutique – Our Journey
Lozboutique is a fast growing online fashion store for ladieswear and childrenswear. The business started its online operations in the UK providing a variety of ladies casual and formal wear in different sizes. The business later launched its junior range for children...
Lozboutique – Our Journey
Lozboutique is a fast growing online fashion store for ladieswear and childrenswear. The business started its online operations in the UK providing a variety of ladies casual and formal wear in different sizes. The business later launched its junior range for children...
Policy News
Joint Area Council March 2022 Update
The Chamber works closely with businesses across all sizes and sectors to ensure that business views are represented to key local and national decision makers. To ensure every sector is represented the Chamber hosts two Area Councils, one in Worcestershire and one in...
Levelling Up the United Kingdom White Paper
Yesterday (2 February), the UK government published its Levelling Up White Paper. Levelling up is a moral, social and economic programme for the whole of government. The Levelling Up White Paper sets out opportunity will be spread more equally across the UK. It...
Skills News
New Engineering training centre complete in Worcestershire
Work has now been completed on the Heart of Worcestershire College (HoW College) Duckworth Centre of Engineering. The engineering centre has been built to help meet the local need for engineers with a focus on automotive, plumbing & heating engineering students;...
Apprenticeship funding announced for Worcestershire
A further £250,000 funding has been made available to help young people gain employment in Worcestershire. Worcestershire County Council is working alongside Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to release its apprenticeship levy to provide training funds...
Charity News
St Richard’s Hospice Asks County to Help Shape Charity Shops’ Future
St Richard’s Hospice is launching an audience research study to gather valuable insights into its charity shops and ensure its continued success. The study, conducted in collaboration with HemingwayDesign, aims to future-proof this vital source of income for the...
St Michael’s Hospice to open shop in Monmouth
St Michael’s Hospice will open its first-ever shop in Monmouth in the coming days. The Bartestree-based charity, which recently opened a new store in Ross-on-Wye, will move into a unit on Agincourt Square. The charity is inviting supporters to attend the official...
UK Must Transform Archaic Infrastructure
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is calling on the Government to tackle the problems of the UK’s worn-out infrastructure to fire up growth. Among the recommendations in a new report, published today, the BCC is calling for ministers to: • Improve road and rail...
BCC News
UK Must Transform Archaic Infrastructure
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is calling on the Government to tackle the problems of the UK’s worn-out infrastructure to fire up growth. Among the recommendations in a new report, published today, the BCC is calling for ministers to: • Improve road and rail...
Worcestershire News
Memories of ‘Miracle’ Baby Grayson as Vital Acorns Care Meant Parents Never Felt Alone
The parents of a ‘miracle’ baby boy have told how their happiness turned into heartbreak when he died aged just six months old – but how vital care from Acorns Children’s Hospice meant they never felt alone. Becky and George smile through tears as they remember...
Exceptional Year of Awards Success for Leading Worcester-Based Financial Planning Firm
Worcester-based Britannic Place Financial Management, founded by chartered financial planner Steve Perera, has had an exceptional year for awards success. The year started with Britannic Place being recognised as a Top Rated Firm in the Top Rated Guide 2023 produced...
Herefordshire News
NMITE Open Day – Saturday 25 March
Explore the NMITE Campus this weekend! We’ll be showcasing NMITE’s stand-out differences, as a UK breakthrough in university education, at our Blackfriars Campus in Hereford on Saturday 25th March 2023, 10.30am till 2pm and booking is open to all. Come and explore our...
Investing in Herefordshire County’s Roads
Herefordshire Council is continuing to invest in the county’s infrastructure, with 21 road resurfacing schemes being completed this spring. Working together with Balfour Beatty Living Places, the road resurfacing will help to improve and maintain the highway network...
All Latest News
Vacancies Still Falling As Wages Outpace Inflation
Responding to the latest labour market data, published by the ONS this morning, Jane Gratton, Deputy Director Public Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “This data suggests some loosening in the jobs market with vacancies staying below pre-pandemic levels...
Pace of Immigration Changes Must Work for Business
Responding to the publication of the Immigration White Paper, Jane Gratton, Deputy Director Public Policy, at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “Businesses are keen to unlock more home-grown talent and will welcome the broad direction of travel in today’s White...
Free Talk on Student Finance
As people preparing for university courses in September begin the next steps of their application process, a free online talk is being offered to help with applying for student finance. Held by colleagues at the University of Worcester, the talk titled ‘Making Your...
Quarterly Economic Survey for Q2 is now live!
The Quarterly Economic Survey is among the largest business surveys in the UK, making it a key resource for the government to conduct case studies and access up-to-date statistics on businesses across the UK. The Survey consists of questions on several topics,...
Severn Valley Railway helps local aid charity
The Severn Valley Railway’s paint shop at Bridgnorth had an unusual visitor recently, in the form of a Mitsubishi 4×4 pickup. The SVR was assisting a local charity, Wyre Forest 2 Ukraine, with their efforts in sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The charity...
Elite and Talented Student Athletes Celebrated at Awards Ceremony
Elite and talented athletes studying at the University of Worcester have been recognised at an inaugural sports award’s ceremony. Seven awards were handed out at the awards, including UW Sports Personality of the Year, Academic Commitment, Excellence in Leadership,...
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