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Financial Services Activity Slumped In Q2
Image by Pexels from Pixabay
Business volumes in the financial services sector dropped at a rapid pace in the three months to June, following a temporary recovery in Q1, according to the latest CBI Financial Services Survey.    The quarterly survey, conducted between 1 and 17 June 2026, also found that sentiment among FS firms fell in the quarter to June, as profitability contracted at a steep rate over the same period.
P.ublished 6th July 2026
Reusable Containers Cut Food Sector Packaging Waste
L-R: Laurie Williams, Ellsey's commercial manager, Jason Waywell, WERIT's national sales manager, and Tim Williams, Ellsey's managing director
A long-standing partnership between industrial packaging manufacturer WERIT UK and food ingredient supplier Ellsey’s Vinegar is reducing packaging waste and material consumption across the food manufacturing sector.
P.ublished 6th July 2026
All Assets Of Leeds-Based Furniture Manufacturer To Be Sold Via Online Auction
All the assets of Leeds-based furniture manufacturer Poplar Products are to be sold via online auction after the business ceased trading, with bidding closing from 12pm on Thursday, July 9. Founded in 1949, Poplar Products provided design, manufacturing and installation services for retail, hospitality, educational and commercial projects across the UK.
P.ublished 4th July 2026
Meetings Vs Momentum: How Smart Organisations Get Work Done
Ian Garner
Business Writer
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Meetings are an integral part of how organisations operate today. Schedules are often packed weeks ahead, leaving employees with little choice but to spend significant time in discussions, reviewing strategies, monitoring progress and tackling challenges.
P.ublished 4th July 2026
Leeds Tech Firm On The Ball With Expansion Plans As Padel Craze Sweeps The UK
With the world’s finest players on court at Wimbledon, an entirely different racket sport is driving a major growth spurt for an Otley-based immersive technology specialist. Apollo3D, headquartered at Wharfebank Mills, has capitalised on the UK’s explosive padel tennis boom to accelerate its own corporate expansion.
P.ublished 4th July 2026
From A Yorkshire Shed To Launching Global Consumer Brands: The EPE International Story
From humble beginnings in Yorkshire to becoming one of the UK's leading distributors of consumer brands, EPE International has built its success on entrepreneurial spirit, long-term vision and a relentless focus on bringing great products to British consumers.
P.ublished 4th July 2026
Larger Deals Fuel North West Smaller Business Equity Market
North West businesses beat national trends to raise strong levels of equity investment in 2025, despite a slowdown in deal volumes, according to the British Business Bank’s annual Small Business Equity Tracker. Throughout 2025, North West businesses raised £1.23bn in equity investment, rising an impressive 82% compared to 2024.
P.ublished 3rd July 2026
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
Property consultancy BTG Eddisons has strengthened its Sheffield valuations team with the appointment of senior surveyor James Parkin. He joins from Cushman & Wakefield, where he worked across industrial, logistics, retail, and office assets. A chartered surveyor and RICS registered valuer, Parkin graduated from Sheffield Hallam University and began his career in the city.
P.ublished 3rd July 2026
CareLoop Scales Clinical Deployment And Team Growth Following Investment
Founders (L-R) Pauline Whelan COO, Sandra Bucci, Zoë Blake CEO, John Ainsworth and Shôn Lewis.
Manchester-based CareLoop Health is reporting strong early traction following a £1.8m funding round from NPIF II – PXN Equity Finance, the GMC Life Sciences Fund by PXN Ventures, Verge HealthTech Fund and SFC Capital, supporting the business to scale its technology and expand clinical adoption across the UK and internationally.
P.ublished 3rd July 2026
Strong Northern Showing On National Awards Shortlist
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Last year's winners
More than a quarter of the finalists for the UK’s Private Business Awards 2026 are based across the North of England, according to shortlists released this week. Firms from Yorkshire, the North West, and the North East secured 28 of the 98 places across 11 categories in the national awards programme, which is sponsored by accountancy and business advisory firm BDO.
P.ublished 3rd July 2026
Castings Technology Marks Double Induction At Company Of Cutlers
(L-R) Dave Leary, Kevin Parkin, Master Cutler Keith Jackson and Curtis Oxborough.
Castings Technology has celebrated a double induction at the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, with two employees welcomed into the 400-year-old Sheffield trade guild. Dave Leary, commercial lead, was inducted as a Freeman, while Curtis Oxborough, training and development manager, was welcomed as an Associate Freeman.
P.ublished 3rd July 2026
Yorkshire Firms Buck National Trend As Industrial Businesses Lead Growth Rankings
Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
Manufacturing and engineering champions top regional table despite decline of industrial sectors nationally. Yorkshire's fastest-growing companies are proving that manufacturing and industrial innovation can still be powerful drivers of growth, despite industrial businesses becoming less prominent nationally.
P.ublished 2nd July 2026
Small Business Commissioner Emma Jones CBE Marks First Year With Eye On Landmark Late Payments Reform
On her first anniversary in the role Emma Jones reflects on 12 months championing the UK’s 5.5 million small businesses. This landmark comes as momentum builds to introduce the G7’s toughest payment regime, including new enforcement and fining powers for the Commissioner. The Commissioner's work combined with the new legislation aims to eliminate the £11 billion annual drag caused by late payments.
P.ublished 2nd July 2026
Steel Tariffs Threaten Northern Manufacturing Supply Chains
A sweeping overhaul of the UK’s steel import rules takes effect today, halving tariff-free quotas and doubling duties on excess imports to 50 per cent.
P.ublished 1st July 2026
IoD: Confidence Declines As Operating Conditions Worsen
The IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism over prospects for the UK economy, dropped to -61 in June 2026 from -53 in May, signalling a deterioration in economic sentiment. This was matched by a marked fall in confidence in respondents’ own organisations, down to +7 from +23 in May.
P.ublished 1st July 2026
Small Businesses Say Cost Of Living Threatens Growth
New figures from Novuna Business Finance reveal that nine in ten small businesses (90%) say that aspects of the increase in cost of living are threatening their growth plans for 2026.
P.ublished 1st July 2026
Magtec Brings London’s Most Famous Bus Into The Electric Age
MST Electric Routemaster
Magtec, a UK designer and manufacturer of electric vehicle drive systems, has completed the world's first electric repower of an iconic London Routemaster bus for sightseeing operator Golden Tours.
P.ublished 30th June 2026
North West Business Confidence Falls In June
Business confidence in the North West fell 11 points to 43% in June. Firms' optimism in their own trading outlook fell 13 points to 54%, while optimism in the economy dipped nine points to 33%. Overall UK business confidence fell three points in June to 44%.
P.ublished 30th June 2026
UK Businesses Fear Economic Uncertainty Most
Peter Gallanagh
UK businesses have been hit hard by economic issues and remain worried and pessimistic about the future of UK plc, according to new research from international accountancy and business advisory group Azets. The findings of the Q2 2026 Azets Barometer showed that economic uncertainty was the biggest concern over the next year for nearly 70% (69%) of respondents.
P.ublished 30th June 2026
Private Sector Growth Expectations Weaken
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Firms across the private sector expect activity to fall in the three months to September (weighted balance of -28%), according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator.   Expectations are marginally weaker than May and extend a period of negative predictions for growth that began in late 2024.
P.ublished 29th June 2026
Can A Northern Prime Minister Deliver Growth Beyond London?
Andy Burnham's landslide victory in Makerfield, followed by Keir Starmer's resignation, has accelerated speculation about his path to Number 10. If he gets there, Britain will have something it has not seen for a generation: a Prime Minister whose political identity has been shaped by the North of England rather than Westminster. For entrepreneurs, that matters.
P.ublished 27th June 2026
Opinion
Why Climate Risk Is Rising In 2026
The evidence is difficult to ignore. 2023, 2024, and 2025 were the three hottest years on record, and the UK's Met Office expects 2026 to rank among the warmest years ever observed, with global temperatures projected to remain around 1.46°C above pre-industrial levels. The cause: increased pressure on our natural systems which result in aggravated changes in climate regulation.
P.ublished 27th June 2026
Market Analysis: H&M
H&M: More meaningful recovery possible in 2027; Bringing production closer to key markets should improve flexibility.
P.ublished 27th June 2026
Leeds Property Professional Crowned Crypt Factor 2026 Winner
This year’s Crypt Factor singing competition was won by Richard Bamford, who performed Dakota by Stereophonics in front of almost 1,000 members of the North of England’s property community at Elland Road. The event is expected to raise around £100,000 for Leeds charities St George's Crypt and Yorkshire Property Charitable Trust.
P.ublished 27th June 2026
Yorkshire Dales Charity Launches Eight Green Apprenticeships For Young People
The Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) has opened applications for eight paid apprenticeships in countryside management to help young people enter the environmental sector. The 18-month programme combines practical training with academic study.
P.ublished 27th June 2026
Croda Unveils Integrated Guangzhou Facility To Anchor Asian Consumer Care Growth
Croda International Plc has announced the official commissioning of its new integrated facility in Guangzhou, China. The strategic investment brings together the dual capabilities of Croda Beauty Actives and Iberchem Fragrances, establishing a powerful regional hub designed to accelerate growth in one of the world’s most dynamic beauty and consumer markets.
P.ublished 27th June 2026
York Firm Pitches To Indian Buyers At Downing Street Event
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Bell Richardson
A Yorkshire-based manufacturer of water-saving valves has joined a delegation of small British businesses in London to pitch directly to international buyers and attend a reception at 11 Downing Street. SealStop, based in Pocklington, was among 40 small firms selected for the Great British Pitch India initiative.
P.ublished 27th June 2026
Retail Sales Slump Deepens In June
Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay
Retail sales volumes were judged to be below seasonal norms in June, to the greatest extent in over two years, according to the latest CBI Distributive Trades Survey. Furthermore, retail sales volumes fell at a sharper rate in the year to June.
P.ublished 26th June 2026
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
Professional services group Gateley has announced seven promotions within its Leeds office, forming part of a wider round of 69 promotions across its UK and international offices. Construction lawyer Samantha Fozzard has been promoted to legal director, specialising in high-value building safety disputes for housebuilders, developers, and contractors.
P.ublished 26th June 2026
Haribo UK Officially Opens £35m Castleford Expansion
HARIBO UK has officially opened a new purpose-built warehouse in West Yorkshire, marking a significant milestone in the business’s continued investment in the region.
P.ublished 26th June 2026
Conveyancing Index Relaunched With New Focus On AI Adoption
A biennial benchmarking tool has been relaunched to measure the digital capabilities of conveyancing firms across England and Wales, with a new focus on artificial intelligence (AI). The 2026 Digital Conveyancing Maturity Index (DCMI), developed by legal technology specialist InfoTrack UK, has been updated to track how legal practices adopt and govern AI technologies.
P.ublished 25th June 2026
Opinion
How Cumbria’s Hospitality Businesses Are Adapting And Finding New Opportunities For Growth
Cumbria’s hospitality sector has always been one of the region’s biggest strengths. From guest houses and boutique hotels to pubs, restaurants and holiday lets, these businesses are not only a huge part of the local economy, they are also what make the county such a special place to visit.
P.ublished 25th June 2026
UK Foreign Direct Investment Falls To Lowest In A Decade
Image by Andrew Martin from Pixabay
Foreign direct investment (FDI) projects landing in the UK fell by 26 per cent year-on-year to 1,020 in the 2025/26 financial year, according to new figures from the Department for Business and Trade. The total represents the lowest volume of inward investment in over a decade and a 54 per cent contraction compared with 10 years ago.
P.ublished 25th June 2026
Portakabin Awarded Contract For State-Of-The-Art International HQ
The new headquarters for The Workdry Group in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire.
Portakabin has been awarded a major multi-million pound contract to design and deliver a new headquarters for The Workdry Group in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire. The new project will see the delivery of a flagship, three-storey office building at The Workdry Group’s Headquarters site, constructed using sixty-six bespoke modules.
P.ublished 25th June 2026
Premier Modular Closes £360 Million Refinancing To Support Continued Growth
Premier Modular, provider of high-quality modular buildings for social infrastructure, backed by Cabot Square Capital and MML Capital Partners through their Keystone infrastructure-focused fund, has successfully closed a £360 million refinancing package comprising a term loan, capex facility and revolving credit facility.
P.ublished 24th June 2026
Yorkshire Manufacturers Invest £900,000 In Digital Tech Backed By Made Smarter
Made Smarter Yorkshire grant recipients
From pizza dough and textiles to furniture and machinery, makers are investing in growth and jobs
P.ublished 24th June 2026
BDO Offers 100+ Student Places In The North West This Summer
BDO will offer more than 100 places to young people based in the North West this summer as part of an expanded UK-wide Insight Days programme designed to improve access to careers in accountancy.
P.ublished 24th June 2026
Manufacturing Order Books Sink To A Six-Year Low
The UK’s manufacturing sector saw a widespread fall in output volumes in the three months to June, with the balance for reported output declining to its weakest since 2020 – according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey (ITS). Manufacturers expect output volumes to fall again in the three months to September.
P.ublished 24th June 2026
Brexit at 10: Business Leaders Urge Stronger EU Ties
Ten years on from the UK’s referendum to leave the European Union, new research indicates that Brexit remains a persistent barrier to growth for small businesses, while larger firms are increasingly calling for closer alignment with the EU.
P.ublished 23rd June 2026
Reaction To Prime Minister’s Resignation
Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Chief Executive, said: “Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer championed UK business at home and abroad and on both a personal and professional note, we are grateful for his service and all he has delivered for the UK. “His leadership on the international stage is truly admirable, and we are grateful for all he has done to ensure the UK was open to the world.
P.ublished 23rd June 2026
Conference Cumbria 2026 Announces Steve Randles To Join Expert Business Panel
Cumbria Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce Steve Randles, Head of Delivery at Brathay Trust, as the first confirmed panellist for Conference Cumbria 2026, bringing more than 25 years of leadership and education experience to this year’s event.
P.ublished 23rd June 2026
ShoeStation Direct Acquisition Adds £10m Of Revenue To CTS Group
Yorkshire-based Corporate Trade Supplies (CTS) UK has completed the acquisition of ShoeStation Direct, adding £10 million of revenue to the group and taking it to a projected £70m turnover by the end of the year. The acquisition follows a record period of expansion for CTS Group and a series of strategic acquisitions across the workwear, packaging and wider supply chain sectors.
P.ublished 23rd June 2026
10 In 10 Duncan Bowman
Duncan Bowman, director at Falcon Fox Construction, is the latest regional business professional in the hot seat as we give him just 10 minutes to answer our 10 burning questions. What does a typical working day for you involve? My day starts with a coffee and I check through emails before heading to various meetings with contractors and clients.
P.ublished 22nd June 2026
Views sought for Armstrong Watson’s 2026 Family, Privately Owned and Owner-Managed Business Survey
Family Business Photo: Armstrong Watson
Family, privately owned and owner-managed businesses are being urged to share their views as Armstrong Watson looks to build a fresh picture of the opportunities, challenges and priorities shaping this vital part of the economy.
P.ublished 22nd June 2026
Temporary VAT Reduction May Lead To ‘Summer Of Disruption For Businesses’
The temporary VAT reduction for children’s meals, admissions and family attractions could lead to a summer of disruption for businesses, says accountancy firm Azets. Aimed at families, it is being introduced by the government as part of a wider initiative to support household spending during the summer holiday period.
P.ublished 22nd June 2026
Changed Studios Opens 90s-Inspired Barbershop In Blackley Following Start Up Loan Support
Blackley-based Changed Studios has secured a £20,000 Start Up Loan through GC Business Finance (GCBF) to launch a new barbershop. Founded by a local trio of brothers, Michael, Moses and Matthew Giwa, Changed Studios is the result of a lifelong ambition to build something of their own.
P.ublished 22nd June 2026
North West Businesses Show Resilience In Response To Global Uncertainty
North West businesses are showing resilience in response to global uncertainty, with 73% saying they are confident in their ability to withstand economic shocks, according to new findings from the Lloyds Business Barometer.
P.ublished 22nd June 2026
A Decade On From Referendum: Brexit Impact Worse Than Expected For Nearly A Quarter Of North West Mid-Sized Companies
A decade on since the UK voted to leave the EU, a survey of regional mid-sized businesses paints a mixed picture of Brexit’s impact on their operations, according to accountancy and advisory firm BDO LLP.
P.ublished 22nd June 2026
Countdown Is On For Crypt Factor 2026
Judging panel (l-r) Garry Howes, Dawn Allen and Craig Burrow
With under a week to go until this year’s Crypt Factor, 16 budding performers are now preparing to swap their day jobs at companies in the property and construction sectors, to sing on stage at Elland Road in Leeds in front of almost 1,000 of their industry peers.
P.ublished 20th June 2026
Beyond Bullet Points: The Art Of Effective Presentations
Ian Garner
Business Writer
Image by Markus Winkler from Pixabay
In boardrooms and conference halls across the UK and beyond, the phrase 'death by PowerPoint' has become shorthand for a common and excruciating experience, the dull, overwhelming, and often tedious business presentation.
P.ublished 20th June 2026
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