Rural crime cost the South West £6.1m in 2015, up from £5.9m in 2014 – despite remaining broadly static at a national level. The figures form part of NFU Mutual’s annual Rural Crime Report, published today, revealing that the cost of rural crime to the UK economy has now reached £42.5 million a year.
According to the leading rural insurer, the items most commonly targeted by thieves across the South West over the last 12 months were tools from farms and businesses, quad bikes (ATVs) and garden equipment. The South West also saw the second largest increase in the cost of livestock...
The pace of increase in construction sector workloads continue to slow, according to the latest RICS UK Construction Market Survey, extending a trend that goes back to the middle of last year.
Across all sectors in the South West region a subdued picture is painted; 12% more respondents reported a rise in activity over the previous three months compared with 32% in the first quarter, with the most distinct slowdowns being seen in the private housing and private commercial subdivisions. Most notably 24% of contributors still reported an increase in private housing activity –...
Nearly half (48 per cent) of commuters in the South West say that they resent the commute and 44 per cent are actively looking for a job where they don’t have to commute – more than anywhere else in the UK - according to a new survey.
A nationwide poll of public transport commuters, commissioned by bitesize reading app Joosr (www.joosr.com), found that commuters in the South West experienced lower satisfaction levels than in most other parts of the country and many did not have enough time to do other things.
Heavily delayed and cancelled services are taking their toll on...
National law firm Ashfords LLP will be headline sponsor of the Ashfords Great West Run, formerly known as Exeter's Great West Run, taking place on 16 October 2016. The half marathon follows an exciting 13.1 mile route through the heart of Exeter combining the energy of the city centre with scenic country lanes and stunning views.
This year the race is aiming to reach capacity at 4,000 runners and is supported by race ambassador, James Cracknell, Olympic gold medallist and rowing champion. James announced the title sponsorship in a recent video ( http://www.ashfords.co.uk/...
Five business and community leaders from the South West celebrated amongst 100 individuals inspiring leadership, innovation, and helping their communities across the UK
Grant Thornton UK LLP today unveils its inaugural list of people who are helping to shape a vibrant economy in the UK, one which realises the shared potential of businesses, cities, people and communities across the UK. In the South West, Geoff Gollop, Joel Gibbard, Kim Atherton, Nick Davies and Richard Clothier have been named as Faces of a Vibrant Economy.
The Association of Accounting Technicians (ATT) has found that 14% of small business owners in the south west use internet search engines as their main source of business advice.
ATT's research was to find out what owners think when it comes to running their business.
The survey asked business owners where they go to for information and support to help them run their business, problems small business owners in the south west face when starting out, and how confident they were in being able to do certain steps of setting up their business before they started out,
Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall will officially open the new BBC South West Headquarters in Plymouth on Wednesday 20 July 2016.
For the last two years BBC South West has undertaken an ambitious redevelopment of its headquarters in Plymouth. The multi-million pound investment is the biggest BBC building project outside London in recent years. The new headquarters is home to cutting edge news-gathering and broadcasting technology and future-proofs the BBC’s commitment to the South West, a commitment that began in 1924 when the first BBC offices in Plymouth were built....
A new outdoor festival with one of Britain’s toughest trails is promised to be one of the highlights of the South west festival.
The running event is to take place in the heart of Heddon Valley in North Devon this September 23-25.
There will be a mixture of trail running challenges, with three distances to choose from which are a full off road marathon length race, a half marathon event, and a 10km challenge.
Ceri Rees, chief trail architect and race director said: “It is, without a doubt, one of the most scenic and toughest coast and country trail running marathons...
Research released as part of Food Safety Week 4-10 July has shown 64 percent of people in the South West have unnecessarily thrown food away in the past month.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) are urging the public in the South West to face their “freezer fear” to tackle the issue of food waste.
FSA’s research showed that 33 percent of people interviewed said it is dangerous to freeze cooked meat, and 41 percent believe food becomes unsafe to eat while in the freezer.
The most common reason that was found for throwing away food was that if it is past it’s ‘use by’...
Plans to give rail passengers along the South Western network more trains, more space and faster journeys were today (4 July) announced by Rail Minister Claire Perry. The Department for Transport has published documents setting out how bidders for the new South Western franchise will be required to provide plans for:
At least 95 additional services on weekdays from December 2018.
A doubling of services along the London Waterloo to Reading and Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside routes from two to four trains an hour.
