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Northern Cities Emerge As UK Start-Up Hotspots In New Business Index
Several major North of England cities have been highlighted as prime locations for launching a new business, according to a new national study by specialist insurer Markel Direct.
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Artisan Dessert Retailer Targets £20m Turnover
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
L-R: Harry Clavane, Alex McWhirter, Emma Kelly, Ian Brown and Nahid Ahmed.
Batch’d, the Leeds-based retailer specialising in artisan desserts, has secured a £1.1 million investment from Finance Yorkshire's growth fund to propel an ambitious expansion plan. The company aims to more than double its outlets and staff within the next three years. Batch’d currently operates 25 sites across the UK, including locations in Yorkshire, Scotland, the North West, and London.
12:00 AM 8th October 2025
Time Crunch Stalls Innovation For North’s Small Businesses
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
Google research highlights that 59% of UK SME owners have paused ‘game-changing’ ideas due to lack of time, with AI offering a solution to unlock £198 billion growth. New research from Google reveals that a time crunch is preventing small business owners across the UK, including the North of England, from pursuing major innovations.
12:00 AM 8th October 2025
Landmark Mental Capacity Act Turns 20, Celebrated In Leeds
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Alison Kaye, Switalskis, chair of the conference
Over 300 legal and social care professionals gather for the UK's largest Mental Capacity Act conference.
12:02 AM 8th October 2025
Jet2 Honours Record 76 Apprentices At Graduation
Leeds-based airline and tour operator celebrates largest cohort yet with 100% first-time pass rate.
12:00 AM 8th October 2025
Yorkshire Water-Saving Invention Wins Gardening Honour
SealStop, the Yorkshire-made automatic shut-off valve designed to eliminate water waste and save gardeners’ time, has won this year’s GIMA Innovators Seed Corn Fund award. The team behind SealStop were officially handed the award during the opening day of Glee 2025, the garden retail show, at Birmingham’s NEC.
12:00 AM 8th October 2025
Hull Engineering Firm Ships Key $1.4bn Canadian Bridge Gear
Spencer Bridge Engineering, a specialist engineering firm based in Hull, has successfully completed the manufacturing and testing of a bespoke access system for a major infrastructure project in British Columbia, Canada.
12:00 AM 7th October 2025
Small Business Growth Forecasts Fall In Every Industry Sector
The percentage of small business owners predicting growth has fallen for the fourth consecutive quarter to a new five-year low (25%) – and in every industry sector, the percentage of enterprises predicting growth is down on the start of the year – according to new tracking research from Novuna Business Finance.
12:00 AM 7th October 2025
Teesside's Steel Site Marks Decade With Green Investment
Ten years after the closure and subsequent liquidation of SSI UK’s Redcar Steelworks, the site, now known as Teesworks, is marking its transformation into a major industrial zone for clean energy and advanced manufacturing. The Redcar steel production plant, including the blast furnace, was closed in October 2015, resulting in the loss of approximately 2,200 jobs.
12:00 AM 7th October 2025
Parfetts Wins Large Business Of The Year At Stockport Business Awards 2025
(L-R) Noel Parkinson and Guy Swindell, joint managing directors of Parfetts.
Employee-owned wholesaler Parfetts has been named Large Business of the Year at the Stockport Business Awards 2025. The Stockport-based company, which has grown turnover by 110% in the past six years to reach £800m, collected the award at last night’s ceremony.
12:06 AM 6th October 2025
10 in 10: Chris Worthington
Chris Worthington, founder of Cause Matcher is the latest regional professional in the hot seat as the p.ublished group of newspapers gives him just 10 minutes to answer our 10 burning questions. What does a typical working day for you involve? It has to be a coffee before I do anything work related.
12:05 AM 6th October 2025
Logistics Confidence Hits 14-Year Low Amid Uncertainty
Image by Michael Krämer from Pixabay
Economic uncertainty and geopolitical instability have dented optimism in the UK logistics sector, with confidence falling to its lowest level in 14 years – new research finds. According to the Barclays-BDO UK Logistics Confidence Index 2025, which assesses confidence and expectations in the UK logistics sector, this year’s score is 40.4, down from 57.6 in 2024.
12:00 AM 6th October 2025
Clean Energy: Labour Job Pledge Meets CBI Warning On Policy Stability
Image by Sebastian Ganso from Pixabay
The UK's energy transition is attracting significant political and business focus, with new clean energy job targets announced alongside a stark warning from the wider business community on policy stability.
12:00 AM 6th October 2025
Lead Like A Humanitarian To Transform Your Business
From emergency response coordination in earthquake-devastated Nepal to the front lines in Iraq during the ISIS insurgency, working in international development has taken me to some of the world's most challenging environments.
12:00 AM 4th October 2025
Yorkshire Franchise Scoops National ‘Lifestyle’ Award
York-based Baby Band, a growing network of music classes for young children, has been named Lifestyle Franchise of the Year 2025 at the Disruptive Franchise Awards. The award, announced in September and hosted by expert Stacey Cann, recognises franchises that offer both a strong business opportunity and a model that provides balance and flexibility for franchisees.
12:00 AM 4th October 2025
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
Taylors Chimney Sweeping in Morecambe, Lancashire, a family firm established in 1958, is welcoming its third generation into the business. As demand for open fires and wood-burning stoves rises, Paul Taylor is joined by his son, Matthew Taylor, to continue the chimney maintenance and safety business across Morecambe, Lancaster, and the surrounding region.
12:05 AM 3rd October 2025
Cumbrian Businesses Lead Survey As Costs Bite
Business owners in Cumbria were the largest regional group responding to the new 2025 Family, Privately Owned and Owner-Managed Business Survey Report, representing 38% of the record 858 businesses surveyed across the UK.
12:00 AM 3rd October 2025
UK Finance Activity Plummets, But Optimism Returns
Image by Lalmch from Pixabay
Business activity across the UK's financial services sector saw its sharpest drop since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest Confederation of British Industry (CBI) survey.
12:07 AM 2nd October 2025
Yorkshire Tech Firm Marks Milestone With Long-Standing Client
Alessandro Proietti (left), co-owner of Buon Apps, and Mark Shepherd, director and founder of Apollo3D, toast the company's 3,000th virtual tour.
Apollo3D, a UK 3D mapping specialist, has reached a significant milestone, producing its 3,000th virtual tour for the popular Italian restaurant, Buon Apps in Otley, West Yorkshire. The achievement is particularly notable as Buon Apps was one of Apollo3D’s first clients when the company launched in 2017.
12:04 AM 2nd October 2025
Six SME Savings Suggestions
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Small changes could help SMEs lessen the pressure on their finances, staff and management, a senior accounting professional has said.
12:00 AM 2nd October 2025
Workplace Support Is Key For Neurodiverse Staff
Image by fahribaabdullah14 from Pixabay
October marks ADHD Awareness Month, a crucial opportunity to raise awareness about the experiences of neurodiverse employees in the workplace. Various UK reports highlight that between 15-20% of people are neurodivergent (a term which includes conditions like dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
12:00 AM 2nd October 2025
Currys’ ESG Committee Closure Alarms Governance Expert
Corporate governance expert warns decision could send wrong signal as ESG rules tighten.
12:00 AM 2nd October 2025
Marketing Strategist Launches AI Tool To Amplify Founder Voices
Thistl, a new AI-powered social media assistant, has launched today, designed to help new founders and business leaders build the personal brand essential for business growth.
12:00 AM 1st October 2025
Teesside Inventor Takes On The Bricklaying World
A Teesside bricklayer whose safety invention is going global has praised a scheme backing entrepreneurs for providing him the crucial “turning point” for his venture to grow. Carl Harris is Managing Director of Harris Brick Safety Systems, and inventor of The Brick Bud – a unique wall bracing safety system which boosts safety on building sites.
12:00 AM 1st October 2025
JMG Group Accelerates Regional Growth With Triple Deal
JMG Group’s latest regional expansion brings three established brokers on board, strengthening its commercial expertise, Lake District presence and Scottish foothold.
12:00 AM 1st October 2025
Historic Yorkshire Sign Company Targets Global Expansion
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Widd, formerly known as Widd Signs, has launched a new brand identity and website to reflect its accelerated growth, international expansion, and diversified services.
12:00 AM 1st October 2025
Premier Modular To Deliver Community Diagnostic Centre At Congleton War Memorial Hospital
Hull-based offsite manufacturer, Premier Modular, is delivering essential facilities to the community of Congleton, Chesire, with work progressing on the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Congleton War Memorial Hospital. Working with East Cheshire NHS Trust, the state-of-the-art building will house a range of diagnostic services, boosting health services for the local community.
12:00 AM 1st October 2025
UK Firms Hit By 'Coordinated' Fake Review Attacks
Image by Habitat_de_lill from Pixabay
Fake reviews are costing UK businesses millions, with government research revealing the scale of the problem as new laws come into force to tackle the widespread deception. Small businesses across the UK are being targeted by a wave of fake and spam reviews, a trend that can inflict immediate financial damage and harm online trust.
12:00 AM 30th September 2025
North West Business Confidence Falls In September
Image by F1 Digitals from Pixabay
Business confidence in the North West fell 20 points to 27% in September. Firms’ optimism in their own trading prospects fell nine points to 44%, while optimism in the economy dipped 31 points to 9%. Overall UK business confidence dipped 12 points in September to 42%
12:00 AM 30th September 2025
Evri Invests £29m In Barnsley Sorting Hub
Evri, one of the UK’s largest dedicated parcel delivery companies, has announced a £29 million investment in operational enhancements at its largest sorting facility, or "super hub," in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The funding aims to significantly increase the hub’s processing capacity ahead of this year’s peak delivery period and drive further growth.
12:00 AM 30th September 2025
Park Boss: Rogue Operators Deserve A Kicking
The increasingly poor reputation of the UK’s holiday park industry must be addressed, according to a Yorkshire holiday park owner who is concerned by the cynical behaviour of some operators. Mark Goodson, who runs the family-owned Wayside Holiday Park at Wrelton, near Pickering, has spoken out about what he describes as the dubious behaviour of certain park owners towards the public.
12:00 AM 30th September 2025
Private Sector Expects Activity To Fall Through Fourth Quarter Of 2025 – CBI Growth Indicator
Firms across the UK private sector expect activity to decline over the next three months, extending a negative trend that began in late 2024, according to the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) latest Growth Indicator.
12:05 AM 29th September 2025
Huddersfield Firm Retains Top 25 UK Financial Adviser Status
Huddersfield and Leeds financial advice firm, Simpson Wood Financial Services Ltd, has been named as one of the top financial advice firms in the UK by the Financial Times for the second year running. The FT Adviser Top 100, an annual list of the UK’s best financial advice firms, compares them based on a specialist, data-led set of criteria.
12:00 AM 29th September 2025
Forgotten Chocolate Oranges Mark 20 Years Since Terry’s Closure
Ian Bradshaw outside York's Chocolate Story
A forgotten stash of 20-year-old Terry’s Chocolate Oranges has been rediscovered in York and donated to York’s Chocolate Story, just in time for the 20th anniversary of the closure of Terry’s iconic factory on Bishopthorpe Road.
12:00 AM 29th September 2025
Bradford Plans Creative Future After 2025 Culture Year
BPH Catalysts For Culture Conference 2023. Photo: Tom Woollard.
A major cultural conference will be held next spring to secure the city’s creative legacy following its UK City of Culture 2025 year. The event, Connecting Culture: The Bradford Way, aims to shape the long-term future of the district's arts and cultural sector.
12:00 AM 29th September 2025
York Entrepreneur Unveils New Mobility Tricycle
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Jorvik Freedom
A York-based company, Jorvik Tricycles, has expanded its business into the specialist mobility sector with the introduction of a new hybrid electric tricycle model. The new product, named the Jorvik Freedom, is designed to serve as a cross between a standard recumbent tricycle, an electric bike, and a mobility scooter.
12:00 AM 27th September 2025
Why Nature Is The Next Big Risk For Global Supply Chains
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
A scientist from Leeds-based Tunley Environmental is set to address a growing priority for corporate boardrooms: how to measure and report a business’s impact on biodiversity and the natural world.
12:00 AM 27th September 2025
The Business Value Of Telling A Story
Richard Branson describes entrepreneurs as ‘professional storytellers’. He says that Virgin’s story is what attracts people to their products and services and also to work for them. Former US President Barack Obama told us, “You can change the world just by sharing your story.” Storytelling is vital in the business world.
12:00 AM 27th September 2025
Opinion
Market Analysis: H&M & JD Sports
H&M: efforts to attract fashion-conscious customers take 18–24 months to deliver meaningful revenue impact; US tariffs more impactful than for Zara due to heavy reliance on China and Bangladesh; store optimisation helps improve efficiency.
12:00 AM 27th September 2025
IoD: Digital Right-To-work Card Will Streamline And Modernise Compliance Processes
Responding to the Prime Minister’s announcement of a compulsory UK-wide digital ID scheme, Alex Hall-Chen, Principal Policy Advisor for Employment at the Institute of Directors, said: “We welcome the Government’s proposals to introduce a compulsory digital ID scheme.
9:38 AM 26th September 2025
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
Switalskis Solicitors has announced its largest ever intake of future legal talent, welcoming 14 new trainee solicitors and solicitor apprentices to its Qualifying Solicitors Programme. This investment brings the firm’s total number of trainees to 26.
12:09 AM 26th September 2025
BDO's Investment In Northern Talent Fuels Regional Growth
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
BDO trainees 2025
BDO, the professional services firm, is making a significant investment in the future of the North of England with the appointment of 81 new trainees across its Yorkshire and North West offices. This move is part of a larger nationwide intake of over 600 new trainees and underscores the firm's commitment to nurturing homegrown talent.
12:01 AM 26th September 2025
Huddersfield Town Secures Stadium's Future With Full Ownership
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
L-R: Christian Licerdale, trainee solicitor at Chadwick Lawrence, Michael Thomas, chief financial officer of The Nagle Companies, Steven Bonfield, consultant at Chadwick Lawrence, Leanne Franks, partner at Chadwick Lawrence, Kevin Nagle Huddersfield Town owner and chairman, Cheryl Largue, partner at Chadwick Lawrence, Jake Edwards Huddersfield Town AFC CEO, David Threlfall-Sykes, Huddersfield Town AFC chief operating officer.
Huddersfield Town AFC (HTAFC) has completed the acquisition of full operational control over its home ground, the Accu Stadium, in a landmark transaction that clears the way for long-term investment and "transformational developments" in the town.
12:00 AM 26th September 2025
Sheffield Forgemasters Appoints Forge Installer
Sheffield Forgemasters’ new 13,000 tonne press from Mitsubishi
Sheffield Forgemasters has appointed Swiss forging specialist Presstrade Technologies GmbH to install the UK’s largest open-die forging press. Presstrade will oversee installation of a 13,000 tonne press and 450mt manipulator, built by Mitsubishi Nagasaki Machinery Mfg. Co. Ltd. (MNM), into a new Forge Building on Sheffield Forgemasters’ site on Brightside Lane in Sheffield.
12:00 AM 26th September 2025
Retail Sales Fall For A Full Year
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay
Retail sales in the UK have fallen for the twelfth consecutive month, underscoring the sustained struggle for the sector as weak consumer demand persists. The decline, tracked by the CBI Distributive Trades Survey for September, marks a full year of contraction in annual sales volumes.
12:00 AM 26th September 2025
Leeds Beckett Excels in Business and Research Partnerships
Leeds Beckett University (LBU) has retained its position among the top 20% of UK institutions for its effectiveness in turning academic knowledge into real-world commercial and societal benefits.
12:00 AM 26th September 2025
Yorkshire Tech Firm Gets £1.5m Boost
A Yorkshire-based advanced manufacturing company, Holdson, has secured a £1.5 million investment to scale its patented post-processing technology, which refines metal components for industries like aerospace, defence, and nuclear fusion.
12:10 AM 25th September 2025
Brewer Offers Bonuses To New Talent
Hydes, a brewery and pub retailer based in Salford, has launched a new bonus scheme to reward apprentices who complete their training. The initiative, which sees successful apprentices receive up to £500, highlights the company's commitment to developing its future workforce.
12:03 AM 25th September 2025
GoCardless Picks Leeds For New ‘Northern Hub’ Office
Bank payment company GoCardless has announced the opening of a new office in Leeds, marking a significant step in the company's growth as it expands its presence across the UK and taps into the rich talent pool and innovative spirit of the North.
12:00 AM 25th September 2025
Sheffield Chamber Supports City’s Largest Mural
The Rivers and Hills mural, now a striking feature of Sheffield’s city centre, celebrates the city’s unique geography with a tribute to the city’s five rivers and natural topography.
12:00 AM 25th September 2025
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