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.
Reading the Seismograph: What the BCC’s QES Dashboard can tell us about the looming economic shock
The latest results from the British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q1 2026 present a familiar picture1. Business confidence remains subdued. Investment intentions are weak. Cost pressures, though no longer accelerating, remain elevated. Firms...
Latest Article
Reading the Seismograph: What the BCC’s QES Dashboard can tell us about the looming economic shock
The latest results from the British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q1 2026 present a familiar picture1. Business confidence remains subdued. Investment intentions are weak. Cost pressures, though no longer accelerating, remain elevated. Firms...
Member News
DRPG RANKED NUMBER ONE BRAND & CORPORATE FILM AGENCY FOR 2026
DRPG Film has been listed as number one in the 2026 UK Top 50, a ranking of corporate and brand film production companies published by Moving Image in partnership with EVCOM. The UK Top 50 provides a vital snapshot of the sector, celebrating the scale, creativity, and...
University of Worcester Dedicates Room to Honour Former Mayor Brenda Sheridan
A major room at the University of Worcester has been dedicated for Brenda Sheridan, a long-serving member of staff and highly respected community leader, councillor and former Mayor of Worcester. Brenda was an exceptional lecturer and highly valued member of staff at...
Patron & Strategic News
DRP secures CCS framework appointment to deliver major Government events
Worcestershire, UK – Tuesday 27 January 2026, DRP UK known as DRPG has been named as a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) RM6364 Media and Creative Services framework on Lot 6 (Events). This appointment reinforces DRP’s position as a national delivery...
University of Worcester Graduate Champions Inclusivity for Disabled Young People in Worcestershire
A graduate of the University of Worcester is making a difference to disabled people in Worcestershire as part of a forum aimed at improving accessibility and inclusivity. Christian Wilson has joined Voices United Worcestershire, a forum for young people up to 25 years...
Chamber News
Why are motor insurance premiums at a record high?
Analysis by The Association of British Insurers (ABI), which looks at 28 million motor insurance policies, suggests that the average price paid for motor insurance in the second quarter of 2023 continued to increase. The average premium paid for private comprehensive...
Roxel UK Exhibits at Defence & Security Industry Show (DSEI)
Roxel UK is proud to announce they are exhibitors at DSEI, one of the largest defence and security industry events in Europe, which will take place at London Excel on 12th-15th September 2023. Supported by Roxel Group, the Roxel UK team will showcase their latest...
Our Latest Member
Welcome new Members!
We would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Members! Brockencote Hall Hotel Limited – Brockencote Hall Hotel, Worcestershire, is a beautiful Victorian country manor house hotel set in 70 acres of stunning Worcestershire parkland. CKLD Ltd (Craig Kershaw...
Welcome new Members!
We would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Members! Brockencote Hall Hotel Limited – Brockencote Hall Hotel, Worcestershire, is a beautiful Victorian country manor house hotel set in 70 acres of stunning Worcestershire parkland. CKLD Ltd (Craig Kershaw...
Policy News
40-year high inflation figures place further pressure on businesses
After a revised mini budget was announced on Monday by newly appointed Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, stability is the key message the government are portraying following the economic turmoil in the last few weeks, which has included the sacking of former Chancellor Kwasi...
How the Chancellors ‘mini-budget’ supports businesses
Businesses across Herefordshire and Worcestershire welcomed the emphasis on business growth in the Chancellors ‘mini-budget’ last Friday morning. The planned rise in corporation tax (19% to 25%) from next April has been scrapped to support business investment. At 19%,...
Skills News
Higher technical education reforms
The Department for Education (DfE) is planning to improve higher technical education to help people train or retrain for high-skilled jobs. These reforms will cover learners studying for higher technical education qualifications. The reforms are designed to: improve...
2020 Employer Skills Survey
Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) are gathering information on the skills gaps and training needs SMEs face in Worcestershire, particularly in relation to the use of digital technologies. As part of this assessment, we are asking our colleagues, business support...
Charity News
St Michael’s Hospice Welcomes New Chief Executive
St Michael’s Hospice is delighted to welcome Matt Fellows as its new Chief Executive. He is replacing Mike Keel who has retired having spent eight years at the helm of the Bartestree-based charity. Matt joins at a time of celebration for St Michael’s which is marking...
Local Firms Unite to Support Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust
Ballards LLP, an accountancy firm, and Four Squared Recruitment, its sister company, both based in Worcestershire, have chosen the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust as their Charity of the Year. The Trust funds research into rare and aggressive childhood cancers,...
Office Return Varies Across Sectors
41% of businesses have required staff to spend more time working on site over the past year One in ten (9%) relevant firms say employees have quit because of the requirement to return to onsite working Nearly half of surveyed businesses (48%) expect all working days...
BCC News
Office Return Varies Across Sectors
41% of businesses have required staff to spend more time working on site over the past year One in ten (9%) relevant firms say employees have quit because of the requirement to return to onsite working Nearly half of surveyed businesses (48%) expect all working days...
Worcestershire News
GLP Training Christmas Quiz – In aid of Worcester Food Bank
GLP Training are hosting a Christmas Quiz this December in aid of the Worcester Food Bank. They would love to see as many Chamber members and non members attend. £10.00 per person – Teams of 5 Bookings:...
You Do Better Ltd celebrates 6 years in business
You Do Better Ltd is thrilled to commemorate a significant milestone, as it proudly marks six years of providing pay-as-you-go Public Relations to SMEs across Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and beyond. Since its inception in 2017, the company has...
Herefordshire News
A ‘Pug’ load of shunting in-store for the Cotswolds
Class 21 ‘Pug’ steam tank locomotive to visit the Cotswolds A shunting stalwart for the Cotswold Festival of Steam, 12-14 May 2023 Daily passenger workings from Toddington to Winchcombe and back 03 March 2023: A diminutive and characterful 123-year-old 0-4-0 steam...
Herefordshire IT Company Celebrates 25 Years of Innovation and Growth
ActiveIT, a leading provider of cutting-edge IT solutions and services, proudly celebrates its 25th anniversary this month. Since its founding in February 1998, the company – which has a base near Ross-on-Wye – has established itself as a leader in the industry...
All Latest News
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...
Huge Potential In Future Of CPTPP
In his latest trade blog, William Bain, examines if the UK’s membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement For Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has made a difference for businesses and what happens next: It is now a year since the UK became a member of...
BCC Applauds Improved South Korean Trade Deal
Reacting to news of a new trade deal with South Korea, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the BCC, said: “This looks to be a well-tailored deal that will suit the commercial interests of both our countries. Around £15bn worth of goods and services is already...
EU Trade Getting Harder
More than half (54%) of exporters think the UK-EU trade deal is not helping them grow sales. This is a 13-percentage point increase in the proportion of firms who are unhappy with the deal compared to last year. In total, just four out of 946 firms (0%) thought the...
Severn Valley Railway ends season on a high with hugely successful winter enthusiast events
The Severn Valley Railway (SVR) has rounded off its 2025 operating season in style, following the outstanding success of its two end-of-season enthusiast events: the Winter Diesel Day on 29 December 2025 and the two-day Winter Steam Gala on 3 and 4 January 2026. Both...
Pineapple Recruitment launches new Finance and HR recruitment arm
A leading specialist recruitment firm has expanded its services through the launch of a dedicated Finance and HR recruitment division. Pineapple Recruitment has unveiled its new division which will focus on providing the best professionals for full-time and interim...
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