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IoD: Iran Conflict Starts To Show Up In Inflation Data
Image by Markus Winkler from Pixabay
Today’s data from the Office for National Statistics showed the annual rate of CPI inflation rising to 3.3% in March 2026.
P.ublished 22nd April 2026
Steel River Quay Accelerates Hornsea 3 Logistics As Regional Activity Ramps Up
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Evie Duce
The expansion of Teesside’s renewable energy infrastructure has reached a new milestone as Steel River Quay ramps up operations to support the development of the world’s largest offshore wind farm. The South Bank facility is currently managing the arrival of mammoth monopile foundations for Ørsted’s Hornsea 3 project, signalling a period of sustained high-volume activity at the site.
P.ublished 22nd April 2026
Iran War ‘Supply Chain Shock’ Could Leave Shoppers Counting Costs At Christmas
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
Retail supply chains may take 3-5 months to recover from the Iran war, meaning shoppers could face paying higher prices this Christmas, even if peace talks clear a safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in April.
P.ublished 22nd April 2026
Skills Shortages Threaten Mid-Market Growth In Yorkshire
Dan Brookes, partner at BDO in Yorkshire & the North East
Nearly a third of mid-sized businesses in Yorkshire (32%) say difficulties recruiting and retaining people with the right skills is one of the biggest barriers to growth over the next six months, according to the latest research from accountancy and advisory firm BDO.
P.ublished 22nd April 2026
York Launches Creative Business Skills Academy At Reignite XIV
Aesthetica and York St John University are proud to announce the launch of the Creative Business Skills Academy 2026. This initiative is designed to bridge the gap between creative talent and commercial success, strengthening our region’s role in the UK’s £145 billion creative economy.
P.ublished 22nd April 2026
Fine & Country Strengthens North Yorkshire Presence with New Associate Appointment
Fine & Country Durham & North Yorkshire has announced the appointment of Lizzie Tate as a new Associate, further strengthening the brand’s growing presence across North Yorkshire’s premium property market. Fine & Country continues to see increasing demand for high-quality homes throughout North Yorkshire, from its picturesque rural communities to sought-after market towns.
P.ublished 21st April 2026
Rising Global Energy Costs Trigger Rapid Shift Toward Digital Twin Technology As Businesses Face Unprecedented Travel Inflation
As a perfect storm of surging fuel prices and restricted global mobility forces a structural shift in British industry, Yorkshire-based digital twinning and virtual tour specialist Apollo3D is advising businesses to adopt virtualised site access to insulate themselves against the escalating global energy shock.
P.ublished 21st April 2026
Everywoman Entrepreneur Awards 2026 Open For Nominations
The search is back on for the UK's most inspiring women in business as the everywoman Entrepreneur Awards opens nominations to shine a spotlight on the country’s most exceptional female founders. Female entrepreneurs have until 29 June 2026 to submit their entries to the UK’s longest-running recognition programme for women in business.
P.ublished 21st April 2026
Surge In Workplace Fertility Queries Prompts Legal Warning
Rose-Marie Drury, Mills & Reeve
Search volumes for fertility support in the workplace have risen by 550% over the last five years, according to new data from Mills & Reeve. The rise comes as a growing number of employees navigate the complex legal and practical hurdles of modern parenthood.
P.ublished 21st April 2026
More Than Half Of SMEs ‘Vulnerable’ To Cyber-Attack'
Iain Wham, managing director of Innovec
One in eight small businesses have experienced a cyber-attack and more than half fear they would be vulnerable to a critical data breach in the future, according to a new study.
P.ublished 21st April 2026
Higher Labour Costs Dominate Business Impact Concerns
Peter Gallanagh
Smaller businesses are struggling more than larger companies amid relentless economic challenges and higher labour costs, according to a business sentiment survey by Azets, the top 10 UK accountancy and business advisory firm. The survey lays bare the issues facing SMEs, which make up the vast majority of firms in the UK.
P.ublished 21st April 2026
Partou To Employ 50 New Apprentices Thanks To Aldi UK
Simon Booth-Liddle, Partou Head of People Experience
Childcare provider Partou is to recruit 50 additional apprentices after announcing a major levy gifting agreement with Aldi UK. Introduced in 2017, the Apprenticeship Levy requires all employers in the UK with an annual pay bill of more than £3 million to set aside 0.5% of their yearly wage costs to fund training for apprentices.
P.ublished 20th April 2026
Property & construction
Knight Frank Secures Two Deals With Global Yorkshire Manufacturer
The Leeds office of global property consultancy Knight Frank has completed two commercial property deals on behalf of its long-standing client CCL Stressing International. CCL Stressing International is the manufacturer and supplier of pre-stressing systems, anchorage systems and construction equipment for the precast concrete industry.
P.ublished 20th April 2026
The Solution To Sign Blindness
Group Editor Andrew Palmer discovers how a simple entrepreneurial innovation is causing a revolution not only in the quality, health and safety sector but has many more ingenious applications.
P.ublished 18th April 2026
Market Analysis: Kering (Gucci), Lvmh (Louis Vuitton), Tesco
Kering (Gucci): A buzzing show has yet to translate into a meaningful recovery in sales; questions remain around innovation in core categories. LVMH (Louis Vuitton): Reliance on logos is driving consumer fatigue – risk of pricing out aspirational consumers.
P.ublished 18th April 2026
Property & construction
Developer Shares Vision For New Community Of Homes In Amble
Amble is set to benefit from 480 new homes, supporting the area’s growth opportunities and demand for quality housing. A North East developer is behind the plans for ‘Tantallon Parks’, which will offer one-bedroom apartments right up to five-bedroom homes, and everything in between. Tantallon Homes is delivering the scheme, following completion of several sold-out developments in the region.
P.ublished 18th April 2026
Disciplined Performance And Continued Strategic Progress, Positioning Vp For Long-Term Growth
Vp, Rainham, Essex
Vp plc, the specialist equipment rental business, issuesd a trading update for the financial year ended 31 March 2026 (“FY26”). In a challenging macroeconomic environment, Vp expects to report FY26 profits between £26-29m, in line with previous revised guidance. The business has maintained operational and financial discipline and continues to progress its strategic priorities.
P.ublished 18th April 2026
Shearer Calls On North East Business To Back £1m Hydrotherapy Expansion
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
The Alan Shearer Foundation (ASF) has launched its most ambitious fundraising campaign to date, a £1m initiative to expand specialist facilities at its Newcastle-based disability centre. Titled ‘The Million Pound Mission’, the appeal aims to fund the construction of a second hydrotherapy pool at the Alan Shearer Centre.
P.ublished 17th April 2026
Teesside Gaming Firms Target Global Giants With US Export Drive
Work at Radical Forge
A consortium of Teesside’s digital firms has secured high-level talks with global technology giants, including Netflix and Microsoft, following a trade mission to the United States. Supported by the Tees Valley Export Fund, leaders from Radical Forge, Tanglewood Games, Cardboard Sword, and Observer Interactive attended the Games Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco.
P.ublished 17th April 2026
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Sharna Poxon, HR Director
A local success story is unfolding in Sheffield as Rotherham-born Craig Cannings steps up to lead B. Braun UK as Managing Director. Mr Cannings, a central figure at the healthcare firm since 2010, succeeds Michael Parden, who has transitioned to the role of CEO for the group's North American operations.
P.ublished 17th April 2026
Fragile Economic Recovery Threatened By Middle East Conflict
Fresh data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows the UK economy grew by 0.5% in February 2026, suggesting a firmer footing at the start of the year. However, business leaders and economists warn that this momentum is under significant threat from escalating tensions in the Middle East and rising operational costs.
P.ublished 17th April 2026
Opinion
Market Update: FTSE Strides Higher After Improved UK Economic Report Card
FTSE on the front foot in early trade following improved UK economic report card. Wall Street stocks set to reach fresh highs as hot rally continues on hopes of Iran ceasefire holding. Retailers and housebuilders lead early gains. Tesco shares climb after strong sales and market share growth.
P.ublished 16th April 2026
Grimsby Fish Market Trio Head To Barcelona For Huge Seafood Expo With Expansion Plans Outlined
Grimsby Fish Market will be well represented at the world’s largest seafood event this month. Fresh from celebrating 30 years of the modernised facility, the operating group’s incoming chief executive, Andrew Oliver, operations director Danny Payne and sales director Nelson Hunter will be hitting the exhibition halls in Barcelona for Seafood Expo Global / Seafood Processing Global.
P.ublished 16th April 2026
Sheffield Tech Firm Launches ‘Quantum-Proof’ Device For Critical Infrastructure
Sitehop, the Sheffield-based cybersecurity specialist, has unveiled the world’s smallest post-quantum encryption device, designed to protect critical national infrastructure from next-generation cyber threats. The pocket-sized device, SAFEcore Edge, is engineered and manufactured in the North of England.
P.ublished 16th April 2026
Cyber Security Expert Warns UK Firms Face “Perfect Storm” In Next 100 Days
Image by WikimediaImages from Pixabay
With the first 100 days of the year now passed, a cyber-security expert has warned that UK businesses are heading into a “perfect storm” of tighter regulation, economic pressure and escalating cyber threats.
P.ublished 16th April 2026
Speed Networking Event Gives Yorkshire Small Businesses A Seat At The Table With Journalists
(L-R) Andrew Palmer, Kathryn Armstrong, Linda Harrison, Jo Leatham, Elly Fiorentini & Darren Greenwood Photo provided by the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub
Business owners got a rare chance to share their stories with top regional journalists at a recent sell-out speed networking event in Yorkshire. Organised by York PR experts Jo Leatham and Linda Harrison, Meet The Media brought together a diverse range of businesses to help demystify PR.
P.ublished 15th April 2026
Darlington Building Society Grows Profits In Milestone Year
Chief Executive Andrew Craddock
DARLINGTON Building Society has had a record-breaking year for helping people onto the property ladder despite the continuing challenges of a volatile economic climate. The Society, which celebrates its 170th anniversary this year, achieved gross new lending of £234m in 2025 – its highest ever figure and a 58% increase on the previous year.
P.ublished 15th April 2026
Pannone Corporate Advises The Sleep Group On Acquisition Of Wow Sleep
Tom Hall, Corporate Partner, Pannone Corporate
Pannone Corporate has advised on the acquisition of Wow Sleep by H.I.G Capital-backed bed and mattress company, The Sleep Group. The Manchester law firm acted as legal adviser to The Sleep Group, which owns brands Silentnight Group and Sleepeezee. It is estimated that one in five beds sold in the UK is a Sleep Group brand.
P.ublished 15th April 2026
Freeths Advises Twenty20 Capital On Sale Of Halian Group To NES Fircroft
Freeths has advised Twenty20 Capital and Stuart Fry, the sellers of Halian Group, on its sale to global workforce solutions specialist NES Fircroft. Halian Group is a specialist provider of IT and digital transformation services, workforce solutions and managed services, with operations across Europe, the Middle East and the US.
P.ublished 15th April 2026
‘Always On’ Culture Leaves Self-Employed Workers At Risk Of Burnout
Stress Awareness Month in April is a timely reminder that while self-employment offers benefits such as flexibility, it can also carry a growing psychological cost. A recent study by Markel Direct, small business insurance specialists, asked 1,000 UK small business owners and sole traders to share their experience on work-life balance and the hidden costs of being their own boss.
P.ublished 15th April 2026
Covéa Insurance More Than Doubles Annual Profit In 2025
Covéa Insurance has reported a significant surge in profitability for the 2025 financial year, with profit after tax reaching £72.4m compared to £32.9m the previous year. The results demonstrate a sharp rise in operational efficiency despite a slight dip in gross written premiums, which moved from £641.5m to £616.8m over the twelve-month period.
P.ublished 15th April 2026
Market Update: Cautious Start For Footsie Amid Hopes For Fresh Iran Talks
FTSE 100 opens slightly higher as oil prices retreat. Brent crude hovers around $98 a barrel, falling back amid hopes for new talks. BP forecasts an exceptional period for its trading division in the first quarter. UK shoppers show signs of resilience after March retail sales beat expectations.
P.ublished 14th April 2026
Five Cashflow Management Tips For SMEs: Monitor And Manage Work In Progress
Matthew Grant, Azets
Businesses are being urged to meticulously track the heartbeat of work in progress throughout its lifecycle. Monitoring, managing and making changes to reduce mission creep, improve efficiencies and maximise cashflow are critical steps which can improve a business’ health and growth prospects, according to a senior finance professional.
P.ublished 14th April 2026
£2.5 Million Project To Restore Historic Heapstead Structures At Woodhorn Museum
L-R: Michael Kelly, site manager at Compass Developments, council leader, Glen Sanderson, Northumberland County Council, Jo Raw, Northumberland venues manager for North East Museums, Ian Simpson, director at Compass Developments
Cramlington-based, Compass Developments has been appointed as principal contractor for the restoration of Woodhorn Museum’s historic Heapstead structures.
P.ublished 14th April 2026
Tunley Environmental To Mark Earth Day With CPD-Certified Webinar
To coincide with Earth Day 2026, sustainability consultancy Tunley Environmental is hosting a free CPD-certified webinar titled “Climate Risk Assessments and Resilience Planning for Business”, designed to help organisations move from climate awareness to meaningful, strategic action.
P.ublished 14th April 2026
Ongoing Investment In Team Development Strengthens Consultancy Capabilities
James Pearson and Erin Rochford
Carney Consultancy, a provider of health and safety consultancy services, is reinforcing its commitment to professional growth by supporting its team in gaining advanced qualifications and specialist training. The investment ensures clients benefit from the highest standards of expertise, practical knowledge and on-site support.
P.ublished 14th April 2026
Permanent Placements Rise For Second Month In A Row Across The North Of England
The latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: North of England survey continued to show divergent hiring trends in March, as sustained growth in permanent placements contrasted with a further fall in temp billings. Vacancies meanwhile increased for both types of roles, with rates of growth also improving from February.
P.ublished 14th April 2026
HARIBO Joins Yorkshire Business Leaders For Martin House Partnerships Event
A panel of Yorkshire’s business leaders will join Martin House Children’s Hospice this month to talk about the benefits of charity partnerships. The Power of Partnerships business breakfast takes place at the historic York Merchant Adventurers’ Hall on Thursday 23 April.
P.ublished 13th April 2026
10 In 10: John Dunnill
John Dunnill, chief technology officer and co-founder at Workprove, is the latest regional business professional in the hot seat as we give him just 10 minutes to answer our 10 burning questions. 1. What does a typical working day for you involve? Coffee first, always. Then more coffee. I usually listen to audiobooks on the drive in.
P.ublished 13th April 2026
Yorkshire Engineering Firm To Launch Combat Robotics At NEC Summit
Accu, the Huddersfield-based precision engineering supplier, is to headline a major combat robotics tournament at Smart Manufacturing Week this June. The event, titled FightFest, will see high-intensity, one-on-one robotic battles take place at Birmingham’s NEC.
P.ublished 13th April 2026
Growth And Client Wins Mark Year Ten For Award-Winning Agency
Team Route celebrating their 10-year anniversary
An award-winning marketing agency in Newcastle is celebrating its 10th year with significant team growth and major client wins. With a main hub in Newcastle and a presence around the country, Route Agency is marking its milestone anniversary by expanding its team and client base.
P.ublished 13th April 2026
Opinion
New UK Steel Tariff Will ‘Jeopardise Manufacturing’ And Make Domestic Fabrication Unsustainable’ Says Tadweld MD
Chris Houston, Managing Director at Tadweld
The Managing Director of Tadweld, a Yorkshire-based steelwork manufacturer, has issued a warning that new UK steel tariff measures risk devastating the UK steelwork sector, threatening jobs, businesses and the long-term future of British industry.
P.ublished 11th April 2026
Wilkin Chapman Rollits Launches AI-Driven HR Platform
Wilkin Chapman Rollits' Rob McLeary, AI consultant, and Oliver Tasker, partner and head of employment
Law firm Wilkin Chapman Rollits has launched a new HR platform combining artificial intelligence with advice from the firm’s employment lawyers. The service, named Adaptive HR, is among the first in the UK to integrate AI case management with solicitor validation and insurance-backed protection.
P.ublished 11th April 2026
How To Make A Strong Case For A Promotion Or Pay Rise
Ian Garner
Business Writer
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Career advancement seldom happens by chance. Although working diligently is crucial, promotions and pay rises are most often achieved by employees who can clearly showcase their worth and initiate strategic, well-prepared discussions with their managers.
P.ublished 11th April 2026
Sheffield Forgemasters Celebrates 90 Years Of Spitfire
Historic steel giant, Sheffield Forgemasters, is celebrating 90 years since the first Spitfire aircraft took to the skies thanks to its predecessor, Vickers-Armstrong Ltd.
P.ublished 11th April 2026
Why Most Stress Advice Doesn’t Work And What Actually Does
As April marks Stress Awareness Month, Dr Claire Kaye offers insight into why so many capable, high-functioning women are drowning in stress advice yet still struggling, and shares what actually makes a difference.
P.ublished 11th April 2026
Pontefract Ice Manufacturer Named Among UK’s Best Workplaces
The Ice Co, the Pontefract-based manufacturer, has been named one of the UK’s Best Workplaces 2026 by the global authority Great Place To Work. The family-run business, which operates one of the largest ice production facilities in Europe, ranked 98th in the medium-sized category.
P.ublished 10th April 2026
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
The Yorkshire-headquartered law firm Switalskis has strengthened its leadership board with three director promotions, underscoring its transition into a national legal player. Georgina Peckett, Katrina Elsey, and Julie Guest have been elevated to the board, reflecting the firm’s investment in specialist areas such as medical negligence and serious injury.
P.ublished 10th April 2026
IoD: Little Evidence Of Government Taking Heed Of Business Concerns On Trade Union Access
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
The government's response to the ‘Make Work Pay: Trade Union Right of Access’ consultation represents a missed opportunity for the government to make the Employment Rights Act more workable for employers.
P.ublished 10th April 2026
Darlington’s Danesmoor Group Eyes Ambitious Growth Drive
A Darlington-based family business with more than 120 years of heritage has received a £14.7 million funding boost as it plans to invest in accelerating its growth in the next three years.
P.ublished 10th April 2026
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