News

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

Wyboston Lakes Resort promotes Simon McMahon to Director of Operations

Wyboston Lakes Resort has promoted Simon McMahon to the position of Director of Operations. He will oversee all the assets at the 400-bedroom Resort, including the recently refurbished Waterfront Hotel, Y Spa, 18-hole golf course and 60,000 sq ft of serviced offices.

Read More

Streets Chartered Accountants appoint Martyn Shakespear as Head of Banking & Finance

Streets Chartered Accountants, a top 40 UK accountancy and advisory practice, are delighted to announce the appointment of experienced banking and advisory specialist, Martyn Shakespear, as its new Head of Banking & Finance.

Read More

Why use a commercial property agent?

There are a wide range of benefits when using a commercial property agent, such as Robinson & Hall, to assist you with the disposal of a property, by lease or sale, or when acquiring a property, either as a purchaser or a tenant. We have detailed a number of these key advantages below.

Read More

Peli BioThermal Hires New Director of Sales in the Americas

Patrick McGrath brings more than 20 years of cold chain industry experience to the role

Peli BioThermal, the life science industry’s cold chain partner from discovery to distribution, announces Patrick McGrath as its new Director of Sales, Americas.

Read More

Spring Statement: Chancellor must act now to ease ‘cost of doing business crisis’

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is urging the Chancellor to take bold and decisive action in his Spring Statement to tackle the escalating cost of doing business crisis.

Read More

How to Make the Most of Networking Events

The benefits of networking are well established. When businesses come together, they can share knowledge, build connections, discover new opportunities and raise their profile. However, this only happens if you approach networking in the right way. Networking is like much else in life: you get out what you put in. But how can you make the most of networking events?


Read More

Navigating Rising Costs and the Impact on your Business

Over the last few months, there has been much talk about rising costs and these are now filtering through to consumers with the UK’s annual inflation rate hitting 5.5% in January. However, this hides the truth of what is happening in some sectors. For example, the wholesale price of gas in January 2022 was almost four times higher than it was in early 2021. Plus, the current horrific situation in Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions against Russia are adding more pressure. Yet it’s not only consumers that are feeling the pinch. Rising costs are also affecting many businesses, with numerous factors contributing to the problem.

Read More

Supporting Your Business Growth in 2022

We have built Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce on five pillars: growth, grants and funding, export, referrals and introductions, networking and connections, and voice. We believe in giving businesses the support they need, whether that’s through introductions or funding, to grow and expand.

Read More

BCC Forecast: UK economic growth to halve this year as domestic & global headwinds soar

UK economic growth is expected to halve this year amid soaring inflation, major tax rises, and global shocks - including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Read More

The John Bunyan Community Boat announces the 2022 Cruise Programme

April to September will see the familiar sight of the blue and white John Bunyan Community Boat gracing the River Great Ouse in and around Bedford. Over 50,000 passengers have enjoyed cruising on the vessel in the past 9 years on various trips, from Kempston in the West to Great Barford in the East. Manned entirely by volunteers for the benefit of the residents of Bedford and surrounding districts.

Read More

Reduce your carbon footprint, grow your bottom line! Here’s how.

Carbon emissions are an increasing concern for businesses and individuals alike. From a legal standpoint, mandatory carbon compliance requirements now apply to many more companies than before – but it is no longer simply a legal issue.

Read More

Building work is completed at Linmere’s community hub, the Farmstead

Work on The Farmstead – the community hub at the new Linmere village being created near Houghton Regis - has been completed, with the internal fit-out now under way in preparation for its imminent opening.

Read More

BCC Research Finds Little Love for EU Trade Deal

• 71% of exporters say EU trade deal is not enabling them to grow or increase sales

• Only 1 in 8 exporters think it is helping them grow or increase sales


• Majority think it has pushed up costs, increased paperwork and delays, and put the UK at a competitive disadvantage.

Read More

Surging Inflation a Key Risk to UK Growth Prospects

Commenting on the inflation statistics for January 2022, published today by the Office for National Statistics, Head of Economics at the BCC Suren Thiru, said:

“Rising inflation highlights both the cost-of-living crisis facing households and the uphill struggle for businesses to keep a lid on price rises amid surging cost pressures.

Read More

3 in 4 Firms Raising Prices as Chancellor warned of ‘Cost of Doing Business Crisis’


• 73% of firms in a new survey say they are raising prices in response to rising costs

• More than 3 in 5 (62%) cite soaring energy bills as driving factor, rising to 75% for manufacturers

• 63% site increased wage bills as driving prices rises

• British Chambers of Commerce call on the Chancellor to adopt their five-point plan to address these challenges. These include a temporary energy price cap for small businesses and the extension of the financial support announced for households last week to include small firms

The British Chambers of Commerce has warned the Treasury of an impending ‘cost of doing business crisis’. A new survey of more than 1,000 businesses, showed that firms across the country are under intense pressure from a variety of costs. It found that prices were likely to rise as a result, further fuelling the cost-of-living crisis for households.

In response to the new research, BCC Director General, Shevaun Haviland, has written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak warning of the dangers facing firms. The British Chambers of Commerce has outlined a five-point plan, which if implemented, will help businesses to weather the current conditions and keep price rises under control. These measures included a temporary energy price cap for small businesses, extending the Chancellor’s energy bills rebate scheme for households to smaller businesses and delaying the planned National Insurance rise by 1 year.

Survey Results

When firms were asked if their business was facing pressure to raise prices from a variety of sources the results were as follows: 

Read More

Smarta Healthcare celebrates National Apprenticeship Week with a new Pharmacy Assistant Apprentice

Pharmacy and Health Clinic, Smarta Healthcare, has a lot to celebrate this National Apprenticeship Week, after gaining a new team member in the form of Pharmacy Services Assistant Apprentice, Hardeep Kaur Sanghera.

Read More

‘First step must now become leaps and bounds’ – BCC on Levelling Up White Paper

Responding to the publication of the Levelling Up White Paper, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:


“This is an important first step in putting local economic prosperity at the heart of Government policy.

Read More

Businesswoman celebrates 10-year anniversary

Sherington woman celebrates 10 years in business

Jo Wareham, founder of The Little Branding Company, is celebrating ten years in business.

Read More

BCC Says More Must be Done to improve UK-EU Trade

On the second anniversary of Brexit, and with huge lorry queues being reported at Dover last week, the BCC is calling for urgent action to improve trade with Europe.

Read More

Don’t miss out on up to £2,000 towards childcare costs

Thousands of working families in the East of England could be missing out on an opportunity to get up to £2,000 a year to help with the cost of childcare, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding parents, ahead of February half term.

Read More

British Army Contracts Lockheed Martin to Upgrade its Existing Command and Control Battlespace Management Capability

The UK sovereign Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP) capability, developed by Lockheed Martin UK for the British Army, has its in-service date extended to 2029.

Read More

New generation of exporters needed to power economic growth - BCC Trade Manifesto

The British Chambers of Commerce is today setting out its manifesto to recruit legions of new UK exporters as its research continues to show poor overseas trade growth:

• In Q4 of 2021, just over a quarter of exporting firms (29%) saw their overseas sales increase

• Almost half (47%) saw no change, and a quarter (24%) reported a decrease

• This is despite substantially more firms reporting improved domestic conditions, with 45% confirming increased UK sales in Q4

Read More

Let us help you take your business global in 2022 - and connect to your hottest prospects!

 

There’s a wide world out there just waiting for your business to fulfil its needs for goods, products, and services.

But how do you tap into these international markets? And how do you navigate customs, VAT, freight, local language and business culture, and every other challenge along the way?

Read More

BCC finds rising cyber-attack fears in hybrid working world


• More than half of firms believe their exposure to attack has increased due to working from home arrangements

• One in 10 firms have been the victim of a cyber-attack in the last year

• This rises to more than one in seven for larger firms with more than 50 employees

• Only one in five firms have cyber-security accreditations in place

Read More

BCC Quarterly Economic Survey Q4 2021: Recovery weakening as inflation worries soar

• 58% of firms expect their prices to increase in the next three months, the highest on record. 66% of businesses cited inflation as a concern, also a record high
• 1 in 4 (27%) firms were worried about rising interest rates, as concerns over rate hikes among manufacturers reach record high
• Just under half of firms (45%) reported increased domestic sales in Q4, compared to 47% in Q3

Read More

45% of Firms Facing Difficulties Trading with EU Under Post-Brexit Trade Agreement


• 45% of firms in a new survey reported difficulties adapting to changes in rules for buying or selling goods brought about by the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), while 15% reported that this was easy

• Nearly 1 in 4 (23%) said they faced difficulties of buying or selling services, while 14% found it easy

• 1 in 5 (20%) reported difficulties moving people, while 8% found it easy

• The BCC also launched a report alongside the survey which explores solutions to the issues

Read More

BUSINESS CHECKLIST FOR GB-EU BORDER CHANGES IN 2022

The UK left the Brexit standstill transition period on its expiry on 1
January 2021. The terms of the new EU-UK trading arrangements –
in the Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) – took effect the
same day. In accordance with this, the EU decided to introduce full
border controls on GB goods from 1 January 2021. The UK
Government decided to defer the implementation of inbound GB
border controls in respect of EU goods until 1 January 2022.

Read More

Growth continues as property consultancies join forces

Commercial property consultancy Kirkby Diamond has today announced it is expanding further by joining forces with the Milton Keynes and Bedford operations of Brown & Lee Chartered Surveyors.

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Thousands advised, £100,000s secured, and an events boost on the way: 2021 in review, 2022 on the horizon

It’s that time of year again when we look back to the triumphs and tribulations of the past and raise a toast to the opportunities of the future. And from where we’re sitting, there’s much to report!

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What are the key traits of a successful business person?

Many of us question whether we have what it takes to succeed in business, but what qualities do we actually need to possess to be a successful business person? Is an outgoing personality a must have? Do we have to be a natural self-starter? Or do we just have to be beguiling enough to influence and persuade clients? 

Read More

Wyboston Lakes Resort promotes Simon McMahon to Director of Operations

Wyboston Lakes Resort has promoted Simon McMahon to the position of Director of Operations. He will oversee all the assets at the 400-bedroom Resort, including the recently refurbished Waterfront Hotel, Y Spa, 18-hole golf course and 60,000 sq ft of serviced offices.

Read More

Streets Chartered Accountants appoint Martyn Shakespear as Head of Banking & Finance

Streets Chartered Accountants, a top 40 UK accountancy and advisory practice, are delighted to announce the appointment of experienced banking and advisory specialist, Martyn Shakespear, as its new Head of Banking & Finance.

Read More

Why use a commercial property agent?

There are a wide range of benefits when using a commercial property agent, such as Robinson & Hall, to assist you with the disposal of a property, by lease or sale, or when acquiring a property, either as a purchaser or a tenant. We have detailed a number of these key advantages below.

Read More

Peli BioThermal Hires New Director of Sales in the Americas

Patrick McGrath brings more than 20 years of cold chain industry experience to the role

Peli BioThermal, the life science industry’s cold chain partner from discovery to distribution, announces Patrick McGrath as its new Director of Sales, Americas.

Read More

Spring Statement: Chancellor must act now to ease ‘cost of doing business crisis’

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is urging the Chancellor to take bold and decisive action in his Spring Statement to tackle the escalating cost of doing business crisis.

Read More

How to Make the Most of Networking Events

The benefits of networking are well established. When businesses come together, they can share knowledge, build connections, discover new opportunities and raise their profile. However, this only happens if you approach networking in the right way. Networking is like much else in life: you get out what you put in. But how can you make the most of networking events?


Read More

Navigating Rising Costs and the Impact on your Business

Over the last few months, there has been much talk about rising costs and these are now filtering through to consumers with the UK’s annual inflation rate hitting 5.5% in January. However, this hides the truth of what is happening in some sectors. For example, the wholesale price of gas in January 2022 was almost four times higher than it was in early 2021. Plus, the current horrific situation in Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions against Russia are adding more pressure. Yet it’s not only consumers that are feeling the pinch. Rising costs are also affecting many businesses, with numerous factors contributing to the problem.

Read More

Supporting Your Business Growth in 2022

We have built Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce on five pillars: growth, grants and funding, export, referrals and introductions, networking and connections, and voice. We believe in giving businesses the support they need, whether that’s through introductions or funding, to grow and expand.

Read More

BCC Forecast: UK economic growth to halve this year as domestic & global headwinds soar

UK economic growth is expected to halve this year amid soaring inflation, major tax rises, and global shocks - including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Read More

The John Bunyan Community Boat announces the 2022 Cruise Programme

April to September will see the familiar sight of the blue and white John Bunyan Community Boat gracing the River Great Ouse in and around Bedford. Over 50,000 passengers have enjoyed cruising on the vessel in the past 9 years on various trips, from Kempston in the West to Great Barford in the East. Manned entirely by volunteers for the benefit of the residents of Bedford and surrounding districts.

Read More

Surging Inflation a Key Risk to UK Growth Prospects

Commenting on the inflation statistics for January 2022, published today by the Office for National Statistics, Head of Economics at the BCC Suren Thiru, said:

“Rising inflation highlights both the cost-of-living crisis facing households and the uphill struggle for businesses to keep a lid on price rises amid surging cost pressures.

Read More

3 in 4 Firms Raising Prices as Chancellor warned of ‘Cost of Doing Business Crisis’


• 73% of firms in a new survey say they are raising prices in response to rising costs

• More than 3 in 5 (62%) cite soaring energy bills as driving factor, rising to 75% for manufacturers

• 63% site increased wage bills as driving prices rises

• British Chambers of Commerce call on the Chancellor to adopt their five-point plan to address these challenges. These include a temporary energy price cap for small businesses and the extension of the financial support announced for households last week to include small firms

The British Chambers of Commerce has warned the Treasury of an impending ‘cost of doing business crisis’. A new survey of more than 1,000 businesses, showed that firms across the country are under intense pressure from a variety of costs. It found that prices were likely to rise as a result, further fuelling the cost-of-living crisis for households.

In response to the new research, BCC Director General, Shevaun Haviland, has written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak warning of the dangers facing firms. The British Chambers of Commerce has outlined a five-point plan, which if implemented, will help businesses to weather the current conditions and keep price rises under control. These measures included a temporary energy price cap for small businesses, extending the Chancellor’s energy bills rebate scheme for households to smaller businesses and delaying the planned National Insurance rise by 1 year.

Survey Results

When firms were asked if their business was facing pressure to raise prices from a variety of sources the results were as follows: 

Read More

Smarta Healthcare celebrates National Apprenticeship Week with a new Pharmacy Assistant Apprentice

Pharmacy and Health Clinic, Smarta Healthcare, has a lot to celebrate this National Apprenticeship Week, after gaining a new team member in the form of Pharmacy Services Assistant Apprentice, Hardeep Kaur Sanghera.

Read More

‘First step must now become leaps and bounds’ – BCC on Levelling Up White Paper

Responding to the publication of the Levelling Up White Paper, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:


“This is an important first step in putting local economic prosperity at the heart of Government policy.

Read More

Businesswoman celebrates 10-year anniversary

Sherington woman celebrates 10 years in business

Jo Wareham, founder of The Little Branding Company, is celebrating ten years in business.

Read More

BCC Says More Must be Done to improve UK-EU Trade

On the second anniversary of Brexit, and with huge lorry queues being reported at Dover last week, the BCC is calling for urgent action to improve trade with Europe.

Read More

Don’t miss out on up to £2,000 towards childcare costs

Thousands of working families in the East of England could be missing out on an opportunity to get up to £2,000 a year to help with the cost of childcare, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding parents, ahead of February half term.

Read More

British Army Contracts Lockheed Martin to Upgrade its Existing Command and Control Battlespace Management Capability

The UK sovereign Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP) capability, developed by Lockheed Martin UK for the British Army, has its in-service date extended to 2029.

Read More

New generation of exporters needed to power economic growth - BCC Trade Manifesto

The British Chambers of Commerce is today setting out its manifesto to recruit legions of new UK exporters as its research continues to show poor overseas trade growth:

• In Q4 of 2021, just over a quarter of exporting firms (29%) saw their overseas sales increase

• Almost half (47%) saw no change, and a quarter (24%) reported a decrease

• This is despite substantially more firms reporting improved domestic conditions, with 45% confirming increased UK sales in Q4

Read More

Let us help you take your business global in 2022 - and connect to your hottest prospects!

 

There’s a wide world out there just waiting for your business to fulfil its needs for goods, products, and services.

But how do you tap into these international markets? And how do you navigate customs, VAT, freight, local language and business culture, and every other challenge along the way?

Read More

BCC finds rising cyber-attack fears in hybrid working world


• More than half of firms believe their exposure to attack has increased due to working from home arrangements

• One in 10 firms have been the victim of a cyber-attack in the last year

• This rises to more than one in seven for larger firms with more than 50 employees

• Only one in five firms have cyber-security accreditations in place

Read More

BCC Quarterly Economic Survey Q4 2021: Recovery weakening as inflation worries soar

• 58% of firms expect their prices to increase in the next three months, the highest on record. 66% of businesses cited inflation as a concern, also a record high
• 1 in 4 (27%) firms were worried about rising interest rates, as concerns over rate hikes among manufacturers reach record high
• Just under half of firms (45%) reported increased domestic sales in Q4, compared to 47% in Q3

Read More

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