Business

Giving Your Pension the Attention it deserves

Tim Walker Head of Office and Divisional Director of Brewin Dolphin’s Exeter office, looks at the advantages of Self Invested Personal Pensions.

Self Invested Personal Pensions or SIPPs have become increasingly popular in recent years among those looking to build up a pot of savings for their retirement. While SIPPs enjoy the same tax benefits as traditional pension schemes and work in a similar way, they can offer greater flexibility and give you access to a wider range of investments.

With standard personal pension schemes, your investments are usually managed for you...

YouRock crowdfunding success

Beginning a new venture used to mean applying for funding or getting a loan from the bank, but Ian Clifford from Sidmouth took a gamble on a new way of raising money for a new online venture called YouRock. He decided to try crowd-funding, a method of pitching an idea to the internet and gathering multiple pledges of support.

Ian said, “Asking people on the internet to back your idea is a very rewarding way of raising money for your project. You know that they will only part with hard earned money if they see real merit in what you are trying to do”. In August local papers ran...

City Centre restaurant caters to Exeter's new growth

A local restaurateur is making a major investment to meet the discerning Exeter market. City centre-based Lloyd’s Café and Bistro is re-branding and undergoing a dramatic and high-end refurbishment to create a London-feel restaurant.

The plans are to create a ‘mini-convent garden’ on Catherine Street which encompasses the open Piazza offering alfresco dining located parallel with the High Street and adjacent to the Roman ruins; popular as a meeting place for shoppers and visitors to the city.

In a survey of nearly 40,000 people undertaken by on-line retail estate portal...

Lloyds Cafe Re-launch

Event Date: 
26/09/2013 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
Venue: 
Lloyds Cafe, Catherine Street

Lloyds will be closing temporarily on 15 September for a complete re-fit.

The unveiling of the new brand and official restaurant opening in aid of the restaurant’s designated charity Exeter Leukaemia Fund (ELF) will take place on Thursday 26 September at 10am with a ribbon-cutting ceremony by City Centre Manager John Harvey.

Radio Exe will be joining in the celebrations from 10am – 2pm with representatives from the designated charity ELF.

Government announces £69 million more for Start-Up Loans and New Enterprise Allowance

Aspiring entrepreneurs from across Britain will get financial backing from the government under a £69 million package of support that will help create tens of thousands of new businesses, according to the government.

David Cameron has announced the new funding which will include:

  • Business mentoring and funding for people who are unemployed but want to start up a company. The New Enterprise Allowance will be extended for new starters up until the end of 2014, providing an additional 60,000 mentoring places for claimants. The government says the scheme has already
  • ...

Seagull Summit in Sidmouth

East Devon District Council is inviting representatives of coastal businesses, particularly food businesses, and coastal Town and Parish Councils to its free Seagull Summit on the evening of Thursday 31 October.

There will be advice on:

  • Seagull lifestyles
  • Waste and pest control for food businesses
  • What residents and businesses can do – proofing and control
  • Bins and commercial waste
  • Pest control services and successes
  • What Seaton Town Council are already doing
  • The legal situation

EDDC...

Award win and new direction for Zebra Design

Lisa Singleton, the owner of graphic design company, Zebra Design, based in Tedburn St Mary, is thrilled to have won the Natwest Venus Award Devon for Home Based Business and picked up her award at a glittering ceremony last week. The successful evening was held in the Great Hall of Exeter University and was hosted by Tara Howard, founder of the Venus Awards and Celia Delaney. Tara Howard, Managing Director of Langtry Manor Hotels, started the awards to celebrate and recognise the growing number of women in business and take place currently in Dorset, Southampton, Brighton and Devon but...

b2b event at Sandy Park selling out fast

Authored by Marc Astley
Posted: Fri, 09/06/2013 - 11:15am

Devon businesses are being offered a unique opportunity to showcase their products and services at Sandy Park, the home of the Exeter Chiefs.

The day will feature seminars, workshops and 40-plus exhibitors.

Speakers already confirmed include the rugby club’s head coach, Rob Baxter and the founder of The Exeter Daily, Marc Astley.

The aim of the event, called b2b@Sandy Park, is to provide a forum that will help businesses to not only engage with each other but also develop and grow.

Bev Gratton of Sandy Park said: “Although there is a vibrant business...

Renewables Roadshow rolls into the South West with Westpoint Arena

Westpoint Arena in Exeter is pleased to welcome back award-winning, “Ecobuild on wheels”, The Energy Efficiency Exhibitions incorporating Renewables Roadshow. The free, one-day event will bring local businesses up to speed with the big energy issues currently affecting the business climate, including Energy Company Obligation (ECO), Green Deal, Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and much more. The event includes a varied programme of informative and easy-to-digest presentations and demonstrations by industry experts which will be hosted in a series of special exhibition areas, including: the...

How can you supersize your business?

Authored by Marc Astley
Posted: Sun, 09/01/2013 - 11:06pm

Growing large vegetables is a pursuit that is largely underrated. For, to produce a giant carrot, onion or cabbage takes persistence, an intimate knowledge of your subject and dedication. At the Chagford Show in Devon recently I marvelled at the incredible specimens on display. This humungous harvest was the result of months of effort, blood, sweat and tears and yes, sometimes, failure. Everything from the choice of seed and the time of planting to the watering regime and the thinning out process went into producing these incredible results. The extra minutes spent eliminating bugs or...

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