Offsite Solutions, the UK’s leading bathroom pod manufacturer, has announced a 73 per cent increase in pre-tax profits on a turnover of £33.3m. These results have put Offsite Solutions in a stronger position to minimise the impact of the current pandemic. All its bathroom pod factories remained open throughout the Coronavirus lockdowns this year, operating with Covid-secure processes and procedures in place and at reduced levels as a number of construction projects were delayed. However, by maintaining production, all pod deliveries were made to the dates required for every customer which is a major achievement. Enquiries remain at a high level and have grown…
Author: sme-admin
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation has developed throughout 2020, the events industry has faced an unprecedented time of risk and uncertainty. Many organisations have postponed or simply cancelled events. However, the team at Great British Expos have decided to move their South West Expo 2020 event online by running a virtual exhibition on 16th December. Great British Expos have been working for the past 3 months on developing a virtual platform which includes a wide range of features to reflect a real exhibition environment, including; virtual stands, interactive keynote stage, a visitor networking lounge, workshop session areas with the ability to…
To mark the fifth anniversary of his historic journey to space, British astronaut Tim Peake asks people to share their stories of how his mission inspired them. At 11.03am on 15 December 2015, Tim Peake ascended into the sky on a Soyuz rocket and became the first Briton ever to live aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Tim’s mission, Principia, helped inspire a generation of schoolchildren to discover the opportunities offered by science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. During the 6-month mission, the UK Space Agency worked with Tim on more than 30 outreach projects with a range of…
Global leader in online vehicle remarketing, Copart UK, have announced major expansion plans for their Bristol Operation Centre as part of their ongoing growth programme that has seen over £30m re-invested in land and transport this year alone. The expansion at Bristol is a clear demonstration of Copart’s multi-faceted re-investment strategy, combining a programme of land acquisition with continuous investment in transport, service, and technology. Originally a 16-acre site, Copart celebrated the addition of a further 24 acres in 2019 and are now accelerating plans to develop a further 23 acres, making this location set to become a 63-acre ‘Super…
Everyone in the UK who trades with Europe or under the Northern Ireland Protocol will be affected by new customs and tax rules from 1 January 2021. With less than a month to go until the Brexit transition period ends, HMRChas sent 250,000 letters and emails to VAT-registered traders, urging them to get ready for new trading rules with Europe. Katherine Green and Sophie Dean, HMRC’s Directors General, Borders and Trade, said: We understand the complex pressures that all businesses are dealing with this winter as a result of COVID-19. But everyone in the UK who trades with Europe or under the…
Kingston GPs and TeamDoctor’s content creators, The Sound Doctor, have won a Highly Commended award from the national Self-Care Forum this week. The Forum told us: “Judges were impressed by Kingston GPs and The Sound Doctor delivering self-care support at scale. This was done through the introduction, across the CCG, of a suite of empowering self -care films for patients during lockdown, and included a comprehensive new Qismet (The Quality Institute for Self-management Education and Training) certified online diabetes course” Phil Moore is Deputy Clinical Chair of Kingston CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) commented “Kingston is delighted to have been given a commendation for the self-care work we have done…
CoVid-19 and Brexit a toxic mix designed to create a poisonous cocktail for UK SME’s called uncertainty on the rocks – here’s some ingredients for an antidote ! I’m writing this article with at least two very old hats on. The first is as an entrepreneur with over 40 years’ experience of creating and running a diverse range of SMEs, and still doing so. I am also Executive Chairman of non-bank lender Just Cash Flow PLC that provides a range of flexible finance facilities for UK SMEs looking to invest and grow. I think one of the most commonly used…
The British Geological Survey and Coal Authority have released maps that for the first time reveal the extent to which heat is stored in Britain’s abandoned coal mines. According to the Coal Authority, one quarter of the UK’s population live above abandoned coal mines. The mines are warmed by natural geothermal processes and where the mines are flooded, these are now being developed as a source of low carbon energy to heat homes and businesses. To understand its potential more effectively, the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the Coal Authority have released an interactive map showing where the mines are…
The emergency funding package, named the Youth Covid-19 Support Fund, was yesterday, November 25, announced by the Government. It will be open to grassroots youth clubs, uniformed youth groups, and national youth and umbrella organisations and will help to mitigate the impact of lost income during the winter period due to the coronavirus pandemic and ensure services providing vital support can remain open. The funding will be allocated from the Government’s unprecedented £750 million package of support which is benefiting tens of thousands of frontline charities, so they can continue their vital work. More than £60 million of this package has already…
COVID is having a dramatic impact on UK businesses but some are showing creativity, adaptability and successfully securing the flexible financial support they need. Fashionizer, is a prime example. Fashionizer designs bespoke hotel and restaurant uniforms for luxury brands, 5-star properties, resorts and spas, retail and corporate service sector providers worldwide. However, as a SME catering to the hospitality and spa industry, they have been severely affected by the consequences of COVID-19 and the resulting worldwide closures of spas and hotels. Not only has the business had to deal with a huge reduction in orders, but they also had to…