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Yorkshire Defence Firm Armexis Seeks Investment To Scale Production
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Armexis, the Harrogate-based armoured vehicle designer and manufacturer, has confirmed it has received letters of intent and pre-orders covering 90 armoured platforms as it moves to scale up production in North Yorkshire.
P.ublished 21st July 2026
Industry Chiefs Outline Priorities Following Andy Burnham’s Speech
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
National trade bodies, executive directors, and economic analysts have urged the government to pair its regional growth vision with fiscal discipline and lower operating costs, following Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s inaugural speech on Downing Street.
P.ublished 21st July 2026
Unfair Dismissal Changes Among Biggest Employment Rights Act Challenges For Bosses
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
New research by workplace expert Acas shows that changes to sick pay, paternity leave and unfair dismissal will pose the greatest challenge for businesses under new rules. The YouGov survey, commissioned by Acas, asked bosses which changes in the Employment Rights Act 2025 will be the hardest to adopt for their organisation.
P.ublished 21st July 2026
Trust Shift Threatens Traditional Corporate Messaging, Leadership Analysis Warns
Adrian Cook, CEO React and The Trust Pyramid Ecosystem Founder
Organisations that rely on traditional institutional authority and tightly controlled corporate messaging are finding it increasingly difficult to build employee loyalty and customer engagement, according to a new analysis of leadership dynamics in the artificial intelligence era. The shift reflects a broader change in how trust is formed across public life and commerce.
P.ublished 21st July 2026
UKREiiF To Launch First Overseas Event In 2027
Australia has been selected as the first destination to replicate the success of UKREiiF
P.ublished 21st July 2026
British Business Bank Newly Supports 3,500 North West Smaller Business In 2025/26
The British Business Bank newly supported 3,500 smaller businesses in the North West of England in 2025/26, with these businesses expected to create a forecast 3,100 new jobs and support a further 40,900 existing jobs, according to new figures.
P.ublished 21st July 2026
10 In 10 Roshan Pitteea
Roshan Pitteea, crime fiction author, is the latest regional professional in the hot seat as we give him just 10 minutes to answer our 10 burning questions. What does a typical working day for you involve? My primary role is as a serving police detective investigating child abuse, so every day brings new challenges and no two cases are ever the same - there reall…
P.ublished 20th July 2026
BGF Invests £20 Million In Urban Zoo To Drive International Growth
Sports technology business, Urban Zoo, has secured a £20 million investment from BGF – the UK and Ireland’s most active growth capital investor. BGF’s investment will support the development of Urban Zoo’s proprietary technology, while enabling the company to capitalise on the significant growth potential across international markets, particularly in North America.
P.ublished 20th July 2026
York Handmade Short-Listed For Two Awards At The Brick 'Oscars'
The Schwarzman Centre for Humanities in Oxford
The York Handmade Brick Company has been shortlisted in two categories in the prestigious 2026 Brick Awards. York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold, in North Yorkshire, is short-listed for projects at 3 Circle Square in Manchester (Commercial category); and the Schwarzman Centre for Humanities in Oxford (Education category).
P.ublished 20th July 2026
Wakefield Engineers Extend Life Of Global Industrial Machinery
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Replacement gear
Wakefield-based engineering firm Craven Fawcett has completed a complex technical overhaul for a global mineral processor, underscoring the growing industry trend of prioritising equipment lifecycle management over replacement.
P.ublished 20th July 2026
Principal Contractor Appointed For Flagship Residential Element Of Vaux Housing Scheme In Sunderland
Back row: left to right: Duncan Bowman, director Falcon Fox Developments, Emma Bond, senior development manager, residential development team, Economy and Place, Jane Simpson, assistant commercial manager both at Sunderland City Council with Ritchie Wharton, director at Falcon Fox Developments. Foreground: Julie McCartney, head of residential development, Economy and Place at Sunderland City Council.
Falcon Fox Developments has been appointed as principal contractor for the flagship Vaux Housing development in Sunderland, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of the city centre.
P.ublished 20th July 2026
North To Unite At Constructing Excellence North Conference
Construction leaders from across the North of England will unite this autumn at the Constructing Excellence North Conference 2026, taking place on Thursday 17 September at Aspire, Leeds.
P.ublished 18th July 2026
Opinion
Market Anaylsis: Burberry
Burberry: Returning to Its British Heritage; Outlets Remain an Important Channel After interviewing a number of executives in the luxury space, Yanmei Tang, Analyst at Third Bridge made a series of remarks regarding Burberry, informed by insights from industry experts: Third Bridge experts say Burberry is recovering, not transforming.
P.ublished 18th July 2026
Starbucks Franchisee Invests £4m To Create 120 Northern Jobs
Scottish-based Starbucks operator OCO is set to invest £4m to expand its footprint across Scotland and the North of England, a move expected to create 120 new jobs. The business, which currently operates 23 Starbucks stores, plans to grow its estate to 29 locations by the end of 2027.
P.ublished 18th July 2026
Breaking The Bias Barrier: How Business Leaders Can Recognise And Tackle Unconscious Prejudice
Many business leaders pride themselves on fairness, striving to make decisions based on merit and performance. However, despite our best intentions, unconscious biases often infiltrate our thinking. These mental shortcuts, designed to help us process vast amounts of information, can quietly shape perceptions, leading us to favour some individuals over others without even realising it.
P.ublished 18th July 2026
Hull’s Willerby Marks 80th Year With Strategic Product Expansion
Hull-based holiday home manufacturer Willerby has unveiled its 2027 product range, marking the company’s 80th anniversary with an expansion of its model portfolio. The move represents a significant commitment to design and quality as the firm looks to bolster its market position in the UK holiday accommodation sector.
P.ublished 18th July 2026
Planning A New Life Overseas Can Be A Taxing Time
Chris Luckett, Saffery
For many people, starting a new life overseas seems like an exciting prospect, but understanding the tax implications in both the UK and the destination country is an essential part of the planning process that must not be overlooked, according to accounting and business advisory firm Saffery.
P.ublished 18th July 2026
Cumbrian Craft Business Wins National Retail Showcase Opportunity
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Go Your Own Way
A Workington-based business has been selected as one of 18 UK enterprises to receive a free exhibition stand at Spring Fair 2027. Go Your Own Way, founded by Rachel Stewart, produces bespoke 3D wooden contour maps and personalised Ordnance Survey map artwork.
P.ublished 18th July 2026
Mossley Pupils’ Trainer Design Set To Hit JD Stores After National Competition Win
L-R: Emma Smith (Product) – adidas, Lewis Garner (Sales) - adidas (Behind), Caitlyn – Winner, Jacob Pasquill - Influencer (Behind), Erica - Winner (Behind), Emma Chevreau - People, Culture & Purpose Director and Luke Matthews - Product Director - JD Brand
Two pupils from Mossley Hollins School in Greater Manchester will see their trainer design produced and sold in JD stores after winning a nationwide competition run by JD Sports and adidas.
P.ublished 18th July 2026
No Summer Bounce For Small Businesses As Growth Forecasts Hit 12-Year Low
Jo Morris, Head of Insight at Novuna Business Finance
North West the only UK region where small business growth forecasts rise. Sharp falls across the South - with construction, retail and hospitality hit hardest.
P.ublished 17th July 2026
Building Society Boss Calls For New Money Emojis To Help Brits Talk About Finances
A building society boss has called for new emojis to give more prominence to the British currency and everyday money moments. Jazz Gakhal, Skipton Building Society's CEO of money, claimed new icons would make conversations about money feel more natural for young adults.
P.ublished 17th July 2026
Bright Future Ahead As Solar Project Shines On Tees Valley Schools
Schools across Tees Valley are now generating cleaner energy and saving money thanks to the successful completion of a solar energy project. Solar for Schools has helped schools to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on school buildings, reducing carbon emissions, lowering energy costs and providing valuable educational opportunities for pupils.
P.ublished 17th July 2026
North East Mid-Market Continues To Grow Despite Economic Headwinds
Britain's mid-market businesses continued to grow in 2026 despite ongoing economic uncertainty, with businesses in the North East demonstrating resilience and continuing to expand, according to new data from BDO. The number of mid-market businesses in the North East increased by 4% year-on-year, taking the region's total to more than 1,000 companies.
P.ublished 17th July 2026
Property & construction
Knight Frank Appointed To Market Humber Enterprise Park
The Yorkshire industrial property and logistics team of global property consultancy Knight Frank has been appointed by landlord Citivale and Westcore to market over 230,000 sq ft of newly vacant space at the well-established Humber Enterprise Park, in Brough on the outskirts of Hull.
P.ublished 17th July 2026
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
L-R: Sara Ellison, Stacey Heeley and Louisa Shilleto
Wilkin Chapman Rollits has announced a series of senior appointments, including the recruitment of a new partner and the internal promotion of two existing lawyers. Employment law specialist Sara Ellison joins the firm’s Lincoln office from Irwin Mitchell in Sheffield, bringing over 20 years of experience to the practice.
P.ublished 17th July 2026
South Yorkshire-Based IntelliAM Launches Agentic AI for Manufacturing
Robots with IntelliAM
South Yorkshire-based IntelliAM AI, a UK-listed industrial technology firm, has launched a new "agentic" artificial intelligence platform designed to improve manufacturing productivity. Unveiled today at the London Stock Exchange, the platform aims to enhance operational performance without the need for significant capital expenditure.
P.ublished 16th July 2026
Industry Reacts To Chancellor’s Mansion House Speech
Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay
The Chancellor’s annual Mansion House address, widely expected to be her final appearance in the role, has drawn a mixed response from the business and investment community. Rather than unveiling new policy initiatives, the Chancellor opted to review the progress of reforms introduced over the past two years. For business groups, the tone was received positively.
P.ublished 16th July 2026
Northern Leaders Launch Joint Trade Mission to India
The Great North representatives
A delegation of senior civic and business leaders from across the North of England is set to travel to India this October to strengthen ties in trade, investment, innovation, culture, and tourism. Taking place from 12 to 16 October 2026, the mission marks the first time regional representatives will travel under "The Great North" banner.
P.ublished 16th July 2026
Female-Led Firms Outperform National Funding Benchmarks in North East
New data from Gateshead-based NEL Fund Managers reveals that female-led businesses in the North East are engaging with debt finance at nearly double the national rate. While national discourse often focuses on the disparity in venture capital—where female-founded businesses secure less than 2p of every £1 invested—the landscape for debt finance appears significantly more equitable.
P.ublished 16th July 2026
Premium Padel Tennis Facility To Open In Blyth
A new sports and social venue, Padelsphere, is set to open in Blyth this summer, marking the first time the fast-growing racket sport of padel will be available in Northumberland. Located at Unit F, Progressive Court, Spencer Road, the 10,000 sq ft indoor facility is scheduled to open between late July and early August 2026.
P.ublished 16th July 2026
York Insurer Wins Customer Care Award At British Insurance Awards
York-based personal lines insurer, The Insurance Emporium, has been named the winner of the Customer Care Award at the 2026 British Insurance Awards. The awards ceremony was held at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall on 8th July 2026. The insurer was among 1,400 people in attendance with comedian and Celebrity Traitors winner Alan Carr as the host for the evening.
P.ublished 16th July 2026
World Cup And Heatwave Expose A New Challenge For UK Hospitality Logistics
Customer data following major national events suggests delivery demand is becoming increasingly unpredictable and driven by ‘micro-peaks’ England's opening FIFA World Cup fixture and the recent UK heatwave both triggered significant spikes in delivery demand, according to new analysis from logistics technology business Zippd.
P.ublished 16th July 2026
Family Business Owners Need To Plan Early To Manage Impacts Of IHT Change
Jeff Simpson, Head of Wealth Management & Private Office Services, Hymans Robertson Personal Wealth
Early planning is key to family business owners to effectively manage and understand their potential exposure to “double taxation” when unused pension funds are brought into estates for inheritance tax (IHT) from April 2027, warns Hymans Robertson Personal Wealth.
P.ublished 15th July 2026
Entries Open For 2026 Civil Engineering Awards
CECA North East Award winners 2025
Entries are now open for the 2026 Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) North East Annual Awards. Celebrating the outstanding projects, organisations and individuals driving excellence across the region's civil engineering sector, the winners will be announced at the Awards Dinner on Friday 13 November 2026.
P.ublished 15th July 2026
Engineering Success As Ashington Business Expands In Major Move
QCD Precision team
Family-run precision engineering business QCD Precision has announced a major expansion following support from the Northumberland Small Business Service, including investment in new machinery and relocation to a significantly larger facility in Ashington.
P.ublished 15th July 2026
Scottish Friendly: ‘Government Needs To Go Further If It Wants To Create A Nation Of Investors’
Scottish Friendly has urged the Government to go further in its bid to turn the UK into a nation of investors ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Mansion House speech this evening.
P.ublished 14th July 2026
UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement To Deliver New Opportunities For UK Food And Drink Exporters
British farmers have been handed a significant boost after the UK struck an enhanced free trade agreement with Switzerland that will, for the first time, allow UK lamb to enter the Swiss market entirely free of tariffs.
P.ublished 14th July 2026
Higher Growth To Remain Out Of Reach Without Cheaper Energy
The CBI and Energy UK provide blueprint to slash business energy costs and deliver £130 billion boost to the economy by 2050.
P.ublished 14th July 2026
Utilities Challenger Everflow Secures £44m To Accelerate Growth From The North East
Everflow, one of the UK’s fastest growing business utilities providers, has secured multi-million-pound funding in one of the largest deals of the year in the North East.
P.ublished 14th July 2026
Kendal Farmers' Market Wins National 'Rural Oscar'
Kendal Farmers' Market has been crowned national champion in the Local Food and Drink category at the 2026 Countryside Alliance Awards. The ceremony, held on 8 July at the House of Lords, celebrated rural enterprises that form the backbone of the British economy.
P.ublished 14th July 2026
10 In 10 Darren Brown
Darren Brown, senior quantity surveyor at Classic Masonry, is the latest regional business professional in the hot seat as we give him just 10 minutes to answer our 10 burning questions.
P.ublished 13th July 2026
Compass Leads The Way In Transforming Care Home Into Emergency School
Back row (L-R) Zoe Lisle, deputy headteacher (Inclusion), Sarah Beattie, deputy headteacher and year 5 teacher, cllr Trevor Austin, Andrew Miller, headteacher, Lawrence Inkster, director AtkinsRéalis. Foreground: Stephen O’Neill, director at Compass Developments and Jacqui Pearson, capital project manager at Northumberland County Council.
A Cramlington-based construction company completed emergency work to transform a former care facility into a temporary school. Compass Developments was commissioned to deliver the urgent work by Northumberland County Council under the NEPO framework, after the temporary closure of Mowbray Primary School in Stakeford.
P.ublished 13th July 2026
Next Phase Of Works Underway As Refurbishment Completed On Axis Building Level 3
Shaun Powell, operations director at Castle, Adrian Bartle, construction director at UK Land Estates and Fraser Adamson, project manager at Castle.
The refurbishment of level 3 of the Axis Building, Maingate on the Team Valley, has been completed by Castle, as principal contractor. Appointed by UK Land Estates, this was a continuation of works for Castle, having already completed the full refurbishment and fit out of levels 2, 4 and 5, plus the ground floor reception areas.
P.ublished 13th July 2026
UK Export Finance And British Business Bank To Launch Joint Scheme To Support Thousands Of Smaller Exporters
Image by Vicki Hamilton from Pixabay
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves yesterday announced a new joint scheme between UK Export Finance (UKEF) and the British Business Bank which will help small and medium-sized businesses access the finance they need to expand their export potential and grow.
P.ublished 13th July 2026
Northern Tech Summit Aims To Unlock Global Growth Potential
A major summit designed to strengthen connections across the North’s technology ecosystem is coming to Sheffield this October.
P.ublished 11th July 2026
Opinion
Andy Burnham’s Plans To Tax Warehouses Supply Chain Impact
Stuart Greenfield, UK and European Sales Director at retail logistics company Advanced Supply Chain, commented in response to Andy Burnham’s plans to tax warehouses to help fund business rates cuts for high street venues: “Increasing taxes on large warehouses could force offshoring of retail supply chains, putting UK jobs at risk and negatively impacting sustainability efforts.
P.ublished 11th July 2026
Market Anaylsis: Unite Group
Unite Group: Headwinds from Falling Demand and Renters’ Rights Spillover for HMOs After interviewing a number of executives, Max Harper, Senior Analyst at Third Bridge made a series of remarks regarding Unite Group, informed by insights from industry experts: Unite appears to be seeking to bolster their performance by prioritising occupancy over ren…
P.ublished 11th July 2026
Yorkshire Startup Secures £17.5m Armoured Vehicle Order For Ukraine
Harrogate-based defence manufacturer Armexis has secured its first orders, worth a combined £17.5 million, to deliver four tracked armoured vehicles destined for Ukraine. The contract specifies the initial production of the company’s APC(T)11 (Armoured Personnel Carrier Tracked) and IFV(T)44 (Infantry Fighting Vehicle Tracked) platforms.
P.ublished 10th July 2026
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Peter Borg-Neal
Salford-based independent brewer and pub retailer Hydes has appointed Peter Borg-Neal as its new chairman. He succeeds Richard Lancaster, who steps down after guiding the historic business through the post-pandemic recovery.
P.ublished 10th July 2026
LDC-Backed Pace Group Makes A Further Two Acquisitions To Strengthen UK-wide Presence
LDC-backed Pace Group, the lift maintenance and repair specialist, has acquired Bradford Lifts Limited and Atlas Lifts & Services, expanding its footprint across Yorkshire and Scotland.
P.ublished 10th July 2026
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