South West

Thomas Westcott issues Budget 'wish list'

Focus on future growth, not the past, urges leading independent accountancy

With the 2015 budget just days away independent accountancy firm Thomas Westcott has issued a wish-list it believes will help businesses in the South West.

But, with a General Election looming, the experts at Thomas Westcott fear the Budget announcement will be a "benign affair" focused on what has been...

Two men sentenced for courier fraud

Two men were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday 10 March) for defrauding vulnerable people out of over £88,000.

Rahim Choudhury and Abdul Shafee, both 19, of Quaker Street, London, were sentenced to 38 months and 15 months in prison, respectively.

In early January 2015, Rahim Choudhury (pictured right) pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud offences where...

South West jobs maintain steady course

The jobs market in the South West has fallen this quarter but remains firmly in positive territory at +6%, according to Manpower, the world’s workforce experts.

This Outlook is in line with the UK national average and puts the South West on a steady course after a couple of quarters of ups and downs in hiring intentions.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is based on...

New business growth in South West slows to 21-month low

PMI® survey data signalled a loss of momentum in the South West private sector economy in February, with new business rising at the slowest rate since May 2013. Output growth moderated, and backlogs declined for the first time since last August. That said, firms continued to expand workforces during the month, and raised their charges at the strongest rate since last June.

The...

Deadline looms for applications to £600,000 SW Social Enterprise Fund

Time is ticking for South West social ventures to apply to a £600,000 investment and support programme which has been launched by Dartington Trust, Plymouth University and South West Investment Group.

Just days remain for social entrepreneurs to get on to the cutting edge Seedbed programme, which will provide the expertise and finance to help social ventures grow, create sustainable...

Scheme helps 9,000 people buy a new home in the South West

Help to Buy, the government’s flagship housing scheme, has helped 88,420 people buy a new home (9,045 in the South West) since it was created, new figures have revealed today.

Since the launch of the Help to Buy equity loan and mortgage guarantee schemes:

• 80% of scheme completions have been made by first-time buyers • the average house price has been £185,000, significantly...

Boyzone to play Newton Abbot Racecourse

Irish Pop Sensations Boyzone are set to play a headline show on Sunday June 28 at Newton Abbot Racecourse. This will be the first major Pop Concert to be held at the Racecourse and is also one of only a handful of dates that Boyzone will play in 2015 making this night a key one for your calendar.

Patrick Masterson, Managing Director at Newton Abbot Racecourse, said: “We are thrilled to...

‘Get On Board’ With #CatchOfTheDay Campaign

Fish lovers and members of the South West fishing industry are being urged to get on board with a forthcoming campaign designed to champion the diversity and sustainability of many species landed by the UK fishing fleet in a week-long Twitter campaign set to take place in March.

The initiative, dubbed #CatchOfTheDay, is being launched by the National Federation of Fishermen’s...

MEP Delighted by ‘Green Surge’ in SW

South West Green MEP, Molly Scott Cato, has drawn attention to the 'green surge' sweeping across the region following a constituency week in which she met with local communities and visited several “inspirational” projects across the South West.

She said, “The South West is witnessing a political green surge, the Green Party has quadrupled in size in just one year and this goes along...

Devon success at 2015 SMK Campaigner awards

A key figure in the campaign to save the Tinside Lido has been awarded for his work by the Sheila McKechnie Foundation.

Kevin Kelway, 52, from Plymouth's historic Barbican collected 70,000 signatures demanding that the iconic outdoor pool stayed open in the late 1990's.

His enduring work won the support of English Heritage and the 20th Century Society, securing a Grade 2...

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