Latest updates and stories from Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce and its Members

As Essential Workwear returns as Headline Sponsor for the SME Bedfordshire Business Awards 2026, Founder and Managing Director George Georgiou reflects on a year defined by progress, resilience, and an ever-stronger commitment to the community that shaped the business.

For nearly three decades, Essential Workwear has been a proud Bedfordshire business, growing from a one-man operation to a nationally respected provider of high-quality branded workwear. Today, they supply businesses of all sizes across the UK, from sole traders to large national employers, delivering everything from branded PPE and uniforms to premium workwear from leading global brands.

As we look ahead to 2026, one event already stands out as a highlight in our calendar: the return of the SME Bedfordshire Business Awards. Now entering their ninth year, the Awards continue to grow in stature, profile and impact and we are proud to once again serve as organiser and host.

This year’s theme, “Your Business Belongs in the Spotlight,” captures exactly what these Awards exist to do: shine a light on the outstanding organisations, people and achievements that make our county such a vibrant and ambitious place to do business.

As 2025 draws to a close, it’s hard to believe how quickly the year has flown!

The current mood among businesses is understandably mixed. Local companies are having to deal with the impact of the recent tough Autumn Budget and navigate current pressures, whilst also preparing to seize the opportunities coming from the significant investment set to flow into our county over the next five years.

Despite the challenging backdrop, there are real reasons to be optimistic about 2026 and beyond.

The Chancellor’s Autumn Budget, delivered yesterday on 26 November 2025, offers a complex mix of policies: some welcome reliefs for business, targeted support for households, but also a broad raft of tax increases and fiscal tightening that leave many questions for firms in Bedfordshire and a continued absence of a long-term growth strategy.

Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget statement, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce said: 
 

“The Chancellor has listened to our calls and made the right choice by not piling major new tax rises on businesses’ shoulders, which will calm nerves.

Wenta and the Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce have formed a new strategic partnership to make business support in Beds simpler, more accessible and effective.

Andy Haldane CBE has been elected the new President of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) taking over from Baroness Lane-Fox  

 

He was elected by representatives of the accredited Chamber Network at the BCC’s Annual General Meeting, today (Wednesday 15th October). He will take up the role on Sunday 1 February 2026. 

Across Bedfordshire and beyond, the conversation around skills has never been more urgent.

A recent report by Business Matters highlights what many local employers already know all too well: the UK is facing a critical skills shortage, particularly in trades and technical sectors. Despite strong demand, businesses are struggling to recruit qualified people, and this shortage is putting the brakes on growth and productivity.

The latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) – the UK’s largest snapshot of business sentiment ahead of next month’s Budget – paints a challenging picture of the national economy. Confidence remains flat, investment is subdued, and many firms are still feeling the strain of prolonged cost pressures and policy uncertainty.

But while the national mood may be muted, here in Bedfordshire the story is one of quiet determination, adaptability, and local strength.

When two different strengths come together, the results can be powerful. That’s exactly what happened when Stimpsons Eves, a name with over 100 years of history in Bedfordshire, merged with the ambitious, forward-looking Venture Commercial Partners.

Trading under the Stimpsons Eves brand, the Chartered Surveyors and Commercial Property Consultants firm is entering a new era: carving out a future in the commercial property market that combines heritage and trust with innovation and drive.

Step-by-step guidance, expert advice, and fully funded resources to make international trade a reality.

For many local firms, the idea of trading overseas is both exciting and daunting. The rewards are clear - new customers, diversified markets, and opportunities to grow in ways that staying purely domestic can’t always provide. But let’s be honest, the challenges can feel just as big. Customs paperwork, compliance rules, shifting trade agreements, and finding reliable partners abroad can be a lot to take on.

At Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce, our members are at the heart of everything we do. That’s why earlier this year we ran our Member Perception Survey, to better understand what you value most, where we can improve, and how we can ensure your Chamber membership delivers even greater impact for your business.

Commenting on the latest ONS trade data, BCC Head of Trade Policy, William Bain, said:  

“The first month of reduced automotive tariffs has had a positive effect on US exports alongside more certainty on the outlook for other manufactured goods sectors.  

 

Responding to the latest GDP data published by the ONS this morning, Stuart Morrison, Research Manager at the British Chambers of Commerce said: 

 
“Today’s data shows the UK economy had a subdued summer, with limited growth in the three months to July, and 0% in the month alone.  

 

The latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) economic forecast has upgraded growth expectations for 2025. But overall, the outlook remains subdued. The forecast shows: 

 

• GDP growth in 2025 revised up to 1.3% (from 1.1% in the previous forecast) GDP forecast for 2026 and 2027 remains unchanged at 1.2% and 1.5%.  

 

• Business investment is expected to grow by only 1.6% this year and will remain subdued across 2026, rising only by 1.9%.    

 

Big promises are coming out of Westminster. The Government’s new Small Business Plan sets out an ambitious roadmap to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business – with SMEs at its heart.

For Bedfordshire, this is more than just another policy announcement. If delivered well, it could mean faster payments, less red tape, stronger high streets, better access to finance, and more local firms winning government contracts. In short, it has the potential to give our business community the platform it needs to invest, hire, and thrive.

Fresh thinking. Real connections. The next generation of Bedfordshire business starts here.

When Dr. Hema Dhingra joined Ballard & Tucker Dental Practice in 2003, she had no idea she was beginning a journey that would see her transform the practice into one of the most acclaimed dental centres in the region.

Now, over two decades later, Biggleswade Dental Centre has grown into a 16-dentist, multi-specialist clinic and was recently crowned overall winner at the 2025 SME Bedfordshire Business Awards.

We’re proud to be a proactive Chamber. Constantly sharing useful content and resources with our members and wider audiences, and developing our services to help businesses respond to evolving challenges and opportunities.

That’s the visible stuff. But behind the scenes, we’re also heavily involved in lobbying Government and national institutions to represent the interests of our region’s businesses and communities to ensure you and your peers are listened to.

The latest Quarterly Economic Survey from the British Chambers of Commerce paints a fairly cautious national picture. Rising costs, including the recent hike in National Insurance, are squeezing businesses across the UK. Many are putting plans on hold, recruitment continues to be a challenge, and overall confidence is understandably low.

But here in Bedfordshire, there’s a different energy.

Fewer than one fifth (18%) of micro-exporters (fewer than 10 employees) increased export orders in Q2, with 29% reporting a decrease. 

By comparison, 29% of large exporters (more than 250 staff) increased their export orders with a fifth (20%) reporting a drop.

For Tyler Pickford, CEO of Luton-based taxi firm GoCars, resting on your laurels is never an option. “You can’t just sit idly by, you have to remain proactive, continuously adapting to change” he says. And this is perhaps why his business, with its roots in two well established family-run concerns that merged 15 years ago, is now the town’s biggest private hire and taxi service.

Our 2025 SME Bedfordshire Business Awards reached their thrilling conclusion on 19^th June, as the county’s brightest businesses and individuals were celebrated at a glittering Awards Final at the Riverside Suite, Venue 360, Luton.

This year’s event marked the culmination of months of meticulous planning and an exceptional response from the local business community. From carefully crafted entries to an electrifying shortlist reveal, the awards have been a showcase of the innovation, creativity, and resilience that define Bedfordshire’s vibrant SME sector.

With so many major new projects planned in Bedfordshire, there’s a strong sense in the county and its businesses of a new future on our doorstep.

It’s a groundswell of transformation that will bring with it wealth, job creation, strengthened infrastructure, greater connectivity, extensive new business opportunities for the regional supply chain, and – not least - the reinvigoration of communities and places.

For smaller businesses with little or no in-house HR expertise, the function can seem both daunting and costly. But Helen Stocker of HR Delivered, sees this in a very different way.

With her four-strong team, she has built a successful business – recognised as a double finalist in this year’s SME Bedfordshire Business Awards – by making HR skills accessible, affordable, and transparent for businesses with anything from 5 to 50 employees.

You can never rely on the British weather to deliver a bit of sun when you might expect it most, but here at Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce things are heating up, as we unveil the finalists in our forthcoming 2025 SME Bedfordshire Business Awards!

And what a hugely diverse and varied cohort they are covering everything from dog grooming businesses, to hotels, to IT support – and just about every type and size of company in between.

The University of Bedfordshire has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with three leading regional business organisations, marking the start of a strategic partnership aimed at supporting students, driving economic growth, and fostering meaningful industry collaboration.

Reacting to news of a trade deal in principle with the US, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said:  

  
“This deal will be met with a huge sigh of relief by many British businesses.