It is well documented that getting a new business off the ground is extremely risky. With statistics reporting 20% of businesses failing in their first year and around 60% going bust within the first three years, making sure a start-up survives during the first few years is critical.

Add in the impact of Covid-19 (3.9% of businesses have ‘no confidence’ that they will survive over the next few months), owning a start-up remains a challenge for entrepreneurs.

WIth the statistics seemingly working against most new businesses, launching a brand new company as the world was...

When retirement rolls around, it’s important to have your finances in order so you can get the most out of your golden years.

Aside from a pension and personal savings , one other way to go about this is through equity release. This basically boils down to taking a loan that’s based on the current value of your home, and only needing to repay this and any interest after you die or enter care in old age.

There are benefits and downsides to equity release which you have to bear in mind when weighing up whether to go ahead, so let’s look at some of the most impactful...

National Family Mediation (NFM), a charity which helps families to sort arrangements for children, property, finance and other important matters, says that nosediving divorce statistics is not a true representation of the number of families in conflict.

According to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) the number of divorces completed in 2020 was 103,592. A 4.5% drop on the previous year.

However, while the data suggests more people are working through their problems and choosing to stay together, experts say that isn’t the case.

Jane...

Domestic abuse victims in the South West and their children will receive extra support to help them rebuild their lives in a safe environment, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced today (15 February).   

Over £11 million will be given to councils in the South West as part of £125 million government funding across England to make sure safe accommodation spaces, such as refuges and shelters, can provide victims with vital support services including healthcare, social workers and benefits.

Drug or alcohol support and other specialist services...

With the influx of medical concerns, the healthcare system should upgrade now more than ever. Learn how e-signatures can benefit operations within the medical field.

By Ollie Heptinstall, local democracy reporter

The Tour of Britain will not return to Devon this year, but the county council hopes it will host stages again in the future.

Last week the locations for this year’s tour were announced, with Devon missing out on hosting in 2022, despite the success of last September’s event.

Set to a backdrop of glorious sunshine beamed to TV viewers across the world, over a hundred riders raced from Sherford near Plymouth to a packed Queen Street in Exeter, via a circuitous route including Dartmouth and Dartmoor.

The 115-...

By Ollie Heptinstall, local democracy reporter.

Devon County Council has U-turned on a plan to charge for new disabled parking bays from April.

As part of the Conservative-run council’s new budget, it proposed a new fee of £200 for the cost of putting in new disabled bays outside homes, saving an estimated £100,000 a year.

That’s come in for considerable criticism, not least from the opposition Liberal Democrats who describe the idea as a “disability tax” which will hit the most vulnerable.

Councillors scrutinising the budget also suggested it should be...

The riotously fun Oh My God! It’s The Church will be coming to Exeter Phoenix on May 5th .

Dearly Beloved Miscreants! We are gathered here today to announce the riotous and delightfully devilish OH MY GOD! IT’S THE CHURCH will release their second EP ‘Revelations’ on Good Friday, April 15 - their own soundtrack to the End of Days, followed by a full UK Tour!

The first single, ‘Kiss My ApocaLips’ out Feb 25 , is a hot-as-Hades, salacious Rock’n’Roll belter to answer your prayers and save the planet from fire and brimstone, whilst serving up the most fun you can have with...

Plymouth’s Falcon Property recently scooped two separate accolades at the Experts in Property Awards 2021.

With the ceremony held via Zoom, the Experts in Property Awards 2021 was well-attended by its member agencies across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Bristol and celebrated what was most important in agency in 2021, majoring on training, online marketing and community involvement.

Falcon won two awards across the seven awards categories.

Best Trained Agency Staff

The first Falcon award was a Silver win in the Training category. the Experts in...