Manchester-based software provider Voicescape has announced the acquisition of Enterprise RPA, creating what it describes as the UK’s first integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) platform for the social housing and local government sectors.

90% of professional football clubs expect to report financial losses for 2025. Global interest in domestic game continues to grow with record-breaking revenues of £6.4bn in the Premier League in 2024, rising club valuations and a surge in interest in women’s football. Clubs face persistent high costs, with wages representing 63% of revenues in the Premier League and 93% in the Championship, and over 90% expect to incur pre-tax losses in 2025, with the nearly the same proportion stating that they will require shareholder funding in the near future. There is widening financial disparity both between and within the English professional leagues.

Firms across the private sector once again expect activity to fall in the next three months (weighted balance of -20%), according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator. Nonetheless, this pessimism has eased somewhat, with growth expectations at their least negative in three months.

Paralegals rarely feature as the stars of our TV shows and our movies, but in real life their roles are often key to the successful delivery of legal services.

Winning Leadership: Lessons from 50 Years in Business is a business book with a difference. It is written by an author who can claim that old adage, “been there, done that”, and I suspect he has got the tee-shirt! The author, Ralph Pickles, has half a century of experience in business and has picked up a wealth of knowledge along the way.

Top 10 UK housebuilder, Keepmoat, has announced the appointment of Karl Wiseman as Group Production Director, in a move that further strengthens its executive board.

UK manufacturers remained under significant pressure in the quarter to January, with output and orders declining, capacity utilisation falling and investment plans weak, according to the latest quarterly CBI Industrial Trends Survey. Optimism continued to decline, but manufacturers were their least pessimistic since July 2024.

​SMH Mitchells has announced the successful Management Buy-Out (MBO) of Peak Electrical Supplies, a leading independent electrical wholesaler. The deal was led by Andrew McDaid, Partner at SMH Mitchells, whose specialist expertise in corporate finance and MBO structures played a key role in delivering a successful outcome.

North West mid-market businesses are eyeing growth in 2026, looking towards international markets to support expansion plans.

TSK, a national workplace strategy, design and build company, has reported its strongest financial performance in its 30 year history. TSK, which names AJ Bell, Medical Protection Society, GHD, Post Office, KPMG and Dr Oetker among its clients, employs more than 100 people across its London and Manchester offices.

Just when there appeared to be a lull in the tariff storm, President Trump has whipped up fresh economic chaos. He’s meting out punishment to European countries opposing the administration’s demand that Greenland becomes part of the US, either through purchase or invasion.

Ecommerce and logistics specialist Staci has secured a significant contract with Waldencast Brands - which owns the brands Glaze, Whind and Coats - supporting the group as it expands across the UK and EU. The partnership, which began in August 2025, will contribute to Waldencast Brands’s plans to build a global platform for beauty and wellness brands.

New TUC Polling: 1 in 7 women (14%) have lost their job - or felt forced to leave their job - due to expecting a child or becoming a parent. Over one in five women (21%) who have or are expecting a child also report unfair treatment at work. More than 1 in 10 new fathers (14%) also report experiencing unfair treatment at work.

In a world where skilled talent is more mobile and discerning than ever, employee engagement and retention are not just HR buzzwords; they are business imperatives. Companies that successfully engage and retain their people outperform competitors in productivity, customer satisfaction, and profitability. Yet, many organisations struggle to keep their top talent motivated and committed.

UK eeks out growth of 0.3% in November, after a contraction in October. Activity was boosted by a 1.1% increase in the production sector and a 0.3% lift in the services sector. A rebound in car production following Jaguar Land Rover attack appears to have helped. Monthly construction output is estimated to have fallen by 1.3% in November. Budget fears made some firms cautious, but there was increased activity across IT and R&D. Wealth Club survey of high-net worth investors show pessimism about the 12 months head. With the Budget in rear-view mirror and interest rates on a downward path more optimism is due.

Made Smarter is set to put additive manufacturing in the spotlight at a regional event designed to help manufacturers understand how 3D printing can deliver real-world impact for their business.

EY teams in the North of England advised on 14 deals worth a total of more than £2.2bn in 2025.The deals involved a variety of different sectors including business services, technology, industrials, infrastructure and healthcare.

The latest NatWest Growth Tracker showed a subdued end to 2025 for the North West's private sector economy. Firms recorded decreases in output, new orders and employment in December, although business expectations for the year ahead remained positive, reflecting hopes of a recovery in market conditions.