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Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
International accountancy and business advisory group, Azets has announced 42 promotions across its three Yorkshire offices in Leeds, Bradford, and York, where it employs 335 people. This regional boost is part of a wider UK-wide round of 372 promotions. The York office saw the largest number of appointments with 26, followed by Leeds with 13 and Bradford with three.
Azets Leeds: Office managing partner Becky Maguire, centre, congratulates from left, John Low, Louise Best, Tom Craddock and Ben Thompson
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Eroded Trust: The Hidden Cost Of Tax Reform On SMEs
Michael Ball, Tax Partner at Streets, warns that changes to tax are undermining confidence among the UK’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and will continue to stifle business growth. He argues that constant adjustments to policies such as National Insurance, the minimum wage and inheritance tax are creating uncertainty that prevents businesses from planning for growth.
1:00 AM 14th November 2025
Businesses Unite To Drive Visitor Economy Growth
Richard Salkeld, Head of Communications and Partnerships at Hull Trains, and Chris Blacksell, Chair of VHEY, at Hull's Paragon Interchange.
Businesses across Hull and East Yorkshire are uniting to accelerate the region’s growth as a top visitor destination. The new network is being led by Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (VHEY) to boost tourism, unlock investment and create jobs – to ultimately strengthen the region’s economy.
1:00 AM 14th November 2025
September Trade Slump Rounds Off Weak Q3
Image by AI ARTIST KING from Pixabay
Commenting on the latest ONS trade data, BCC Head of Trade Policy, William Bain, said: September was a poor month for UK trade. Goods exports fell to the US, EU and the rest of the world. The impacts of the JLR cyber-attack were clearly felt in a slump in automotive exports to the US, but other export sectors also declined. It is also a concern that services exports took a hit too.
1:00 AM 14th November 2025
Weak GDP Figures Set The Stage For A Difficult Budget
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
Business organisations have been commenting on ONS data that showed GDP rose by 0.1% in Q3 2025, following growth of 0.3% in Q2
9:16 AM 13th November 2025
More Than One In Two Small Businesses Need Funding To Power Growth
Ahead of the Autumn Budget, with small business owners already worried about the prospect of tax hikes, 53% of UK small business owners say they need to secure funding or finance in order to invest in growth plans for 2026.
1:01 AM 13th November 2025
MP Visits Merchant Over New Homes Supply
How builders’ merchants are preparing to supply the materials & products necessary to build 1 1⁄2 million new homes was on the agenda during a constituency visit by Lee Pitcher MP.
1:00 AM 13th November 2025
Leeds Neurodivergence Specialist Targets Growth With New Jobs Push
A Leeds-based consultancy, which champions neurodivergence in the workplace, is embarking on major expansion plans after support from the West Yorkshire Good Growth Programme.
1:00 AM 13th November 2025
Taxing Time For Company Directors Over Dividends Reporting Requirements
Company directors and shareholders face new mandatory reporting requirements for the first time when it comes to declaring dividends from profits for owner-managed and family-run ‘close’ companies. Close companies are usually privately owned limited companies controlled by five or fewer participants, including shareholder directors.
1:00 AM 13th November 2025
Property & construction
Construction Completes On Major New College Campus In Skegness
A brand-new college building in Skegness has welcomed its first students after construction work completed on the town’s state of the art £14m learning campus. Construction firm, Hobson & Porter, which operates across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, started work on the Wainfleet Road site last summer and has now officially handed over the new facility to Skegness College.
1:00 AM 13th November 2025
Firms Urged To Plan Partner Retirement Sooner
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Planning needs to be a career-long preparation to avoid dangers of a ‘cliff-edge’ finish in the legal and accountancy professions
1:02 AM 12th November 2025
Historic Steelworks Commemorates War Heroes
Hundreds of employees at Sheffield Forgemasters stopped work to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice in two world wars at a poignant remembrance service.
1:00 AM 12th November 2025
Property & construction
Hull Business Park Expands After Phase One Sells Out
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
L-R: Andrew Allenby, Allenby Commercial, Zaid Bhamji, Associated Growers, Harry Hall, ATD Automotive and The Vault Collection, David and Adam Batch, Michael James Property Developments, and Georgia Allenby, Allenby Commercial
Work is underway on the second phase of The Point business development in west Hull after all three initial units were quickly occupied by growing companies. The 6.5-acre development, run by family-owned Allenby Commercial at Priory Park East, offers high-quality industrial and trade counter units tailored to business needs.
1:00 AM 12th November 2025
Bradford Credit Union Drives Money Talk with New Research
Community development-based credit union Bradford District Credit Union (BDCU) has marked the success of its participation in Talk Money Week (3rd–7th November), a national campaign encouraging conversations about financial wellbeing. The credit union used the week to launch new research compiled in partnership with the University of York, and anti-poverty networks in Bradford and Kirklees.
1:00 AM 12th November 2025
Thousands Of UK Black Friday Searches Could Be Lost To Slow Websites
As search demand for Black Friday deals surges, brands urged to optimise their websites before 28 November 2025
1:00 AM 12th November 2025
York Handmade Wins Sustainability Award At The Brick Oscars
The York Handmade Brick Company has won the Sustainability category in the 2025 Brick Awards. York Handmade, based at Alne, near Easingwold, in North Yorkshire, triumphed for its acclaimed brickwork at York Racecourse.
1:00 AM 12th November 2025
How Flexible Workspaces Are Powering Leeds Businesses Amid City’s £20 Billion Projected Growth
The recent launch of Leeds’ ambitious economic vision plan, which sets out a roadmap to generate £20 billion in economic growth and create 100,000 new jobs across the city, shows that the West Yorkshire city is set for huge investment over the coming decade.
3:36 PM 11th November 2025
UK Labour Market: Self-Inflicted Wound
Image by Ralf Ruppert from Pixabay
There will be no pre-budget comforts that can be taken from today’s employment data as the un-employment rate hits its highest level since May 2021. This self-inflicted wound rather than heeling continues to weep. Not only has the unemployment rate risen, but wage growth, albeit still rising ahead of inflation continues to shrink.
9:20 AM 11th November 2025
Great North Mayors And Leaders Call On Chancellor To Back North Of England In The Budget
Image by M from Pixabay
The Great North mayors and leaders have written to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget, calling for investment that will unlock investment and opportunity across the North.
1:03 AM 11th November 2025
Leeds Firm Has The Stamina To Expand Into New Site
Image by alper omer esin from Pixabay
A Leeds-based, pallet racking and warehouse storage specialist has acquired a new 24,500 sq ft building on a 2.2-acre site in Pudsey. Stamina Storage Systems is moving from its warehouse in Morley to new, larger permanent headquarters off Troydale Lane. The new site offers increased warehouse capacity and extended office space to support the company’s growing team and operations.
1:01 AM 11th November 2025
Dudleys Secures Further Brief At Leeds Bradford Airport
Dudleys Consulting Engineers has secured a new brief to carry out inspection works for key infrastructure including radar masts at Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA). This is alongside its ongoing expert engineering consultancy on the second phase of works to support the £100 million terminal upgrade plans.
1:00 AM 11th November 2025
Business Confidence At An Eight-Month High As Demand Conditions Improve
Strongest rise in demand for goods and services since March. Firms' expectations for activity at an eight-month high. Cost pressures ease.
1:00 AM 11th November 2025
Getting Through Christmas Is Harder Than It Looks And SMEs Know It
January’s challenges are often made in October and it’s a truth that many small business owners across the North of England know all too well. The festive period can be as demanding as it is rewarding so while major retailers announce seasonal hiring surges and extend trading hours, independents in places like Wetherby face a very different set of pressures.
1:00 AM 11th November 2025
Deadline For Applications To Top Tech Yorkshire 2026 Extended
The deadline to apply to be part of Top Tech Yorkshire 2026 has been extended to 14 November, giving high-potential tech firms in the region one additional week to make their submissions. Developed by national law firm Mills & Reeve, Top Tech Yorkshire is a six-month programme designed to accelerate growth and innovation in the region's rapidly expanding tech sector.
1:02 AM 10th November 2025
Property & construction
Why Yorkshire’s Iconic Textile Mills Must Be Treasured – Or Be Lost
West Yorkshire’s iconic textile mills must be treasured or they will be lost for ever, warns William Gaunt, joint managing director of Sunny Banks Mills in Farsley. Mr Gaunt explained: “Mills are such a huge part of the West Yorkshire landscape but sometimes we take these important heritage buildings for granted.
1:00 AM 10th November 2025
Hydes Backs Apprenticeships To Build Future Talent
Salford-based brewer and pub retailer Hydes is stepping up its investment in apprenticeships across all areas of the business, encouraging employees of all ages and experience levels to take part in structured training designed to support long-term career growth.
1:00 AM 10th November 2025
York Couple Secure Future Of Family Businesses
L-R: Lucien Wray, Paralegal at Hethertons Solicitors, Tom Henry, Director of Commercial Property at Hethertons Solicitors, Nicola and Matt Cooper, owners at Liliput Day Nursery and York Car and Commercial
A husband-and-wife team from York have taken a major step forward in securing the future of their two much-loved local businesses – completing the purchase of the premises they each operate from, with support from Hethertons Solicitors.
1:00 AM 10th November 2025
Saffery Celebrates First Year In Leeds With Strong Growth And Expansion Plans
Sally Appleton, partner and head of Saffery’s Leeds office
A year after opening its doors at Wellington Place in Leeds, chartered accounting and business advisory firm Saffery is marking a successful 12 months of strong client demand and rapid growth. Saffery has grown its Leeds team to more than 80 people and continues to recruit across all levels to meet rising client demand from businesses and individuals throughout Yorkshire and the North.
1:00 AM 10th November 2025
Human Nature And The Principles Of Managing Creative Teams
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay
So many organisations struggle to get the best from their technical teams, yet three fundamental principles have been present in the best creative and technical teams of the past 150 years. 1. Creative Work Requires Systems Thinking Creative problems are never isolated; change one variable, and everything else shifts.
1:01 AM 8th November 2025
Opinion
Market Analysis: IWG, Hugo Boss China, Sainsbury's, Metro Bank
IWG: Capital-light shift offers faster build time and lower CAPEX; US listing possibilities. Hugo Boss China: Continued Market Share Contraction Expected Over the Next 2–3 Years; Pricing in China Remains Too Premium.
1:00 AM 8th November 2025
Business Book Review: Buy Run Build, A Guide To Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition By Charles Skinner
Author Charles Skinner is an expert in entrepreneurship through acquisition. As a CEO, he transformed one company from a value of £3 million to a £100 million sale and led another firm to a 30-fold share price increase, reaching £300 million and earning AIM Company of the Year in 2016.
1:00 AM 8th November 2025
Is ESG Past Its Sell-By Date? The Rise Of The Next Corporate Social Buzz Phrase
ESG, Environmental, Social, and Governance, has dominated the corporate responsibility landscape for over a decade, shaping boardroom discussions, investor mandates, and brand reputations. But as the business world faces mounting scepticism and shifting stakeholder expectations, an intriguing question emerges: Is ESG past its sell-by date?
1:00 AM 8th November 2025
Widd Launches Accessibility Spotlight Series During UK Accessibility Week
Widd, one of the UK’s longest-established sign makers, is marking Accessibility Week (until 9 November 2025) by shining a light on the importance of inclusive, well-designed signage in public and educational spaces. The campaign follows Widd’s recent involvement in Purple Tuesday, a global initiative that encourages businesses to improve accessibility and inclusivity for disabled customers.
1:00 AM 8th November 2025
David Frost, The Rt Hon Lord Frost Of Allenton CMG, To Become IEA Director General
The Rt Hon Lord Frost Of Allenton CMG
The Board of Trustees of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is delighted to announce that David Frost will become Director General and Ralph Harris Fellow of the Institute in January 2026. His appointment marks the beginning of a new chapter for the IEA, one focused on rebuilding public understanding of how freedom, markets, enterprise, and limited government create prosperity.
1:01 AM 7th November 2025
Rathbones CEO Urges Government To Back Those Building Prosperity
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Camilla Stowell, CEO Wealth, at Rathbones, a wealth management group with offices and clients across the UK, has called on the government to support those whose effort and hard work delivers growth, with five key recommendations ahead of the Budget to drive long-term and sustainable investment.
1:00 AM 7th November 2025
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Wesley Jones and Will Rough
The Owl in Hawnby, a historic drover’s inn in North Yorkshire, has appointed Will Rough as its new Head Chef. Rough, who previously worked at the award-winning Skosh in York and the Michelin-starred Star at Harome, succeeds Sam Varley, who will remain involved with the Owl while moving on to Brancusi in York.
1:00 AM 7th November 2025
Yorkshire Market Business Nurtures Next Generation Trader
As many businesses face a difficult trading climate, a Yorkshire student is bucking the trend - lighting up local Christmas markets with handmade lanterns and festive spirit, supported by the same business that began on Yorkshire’s markets nearly 30 years ago. Harriett Wilson, 17, from Richmond, is launching her first market stalls this winter, selling handcrafted paper star lanterns.
1:00 AM 7th November 2025
NPIF II Support Will Help Seaweed Pioneers Expand UK’s ‘Blue Economy’
A Yorkshire company that has found a way to improve ocean health through the cultivation of seaweed and shellfish is set for expansion after securing a six-figure loan from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia Debt as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).
1:00 AM 7th November 2025
MPC Makes Narrow Vote To Hold Rates At 4%
Commenting on the decision of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England to hold interest rates to 4.0%, Anna Leach, Chief Economist at the Institute of Directors, said: “The MPC voted once again to hold Bank Rate at 4%, but with a narrower 5-4 split this time, reflecting the tight balance of risks.
1:36 PM 6th November 2025
Business Leaders Warn Budget Must Deliver On Growth
Business groups across the UK have issued a stark warning to the Government ahead of the Autumn Budget, calling for decisive action to support enterprise, encourage investment, and resist further tax rises on firms already facing mounting pressures.
1:05 AM 6th November 2025
Pensions In The Spotlight Ahead Of Autumn Budget As Tax Changes Loom
As the Autumn Budget approaches on 26 November, speculation is mounting that Chancellor Rachel Reeves could target pensions as part of a wider fiscal reset. Rumours suggest potential reforms to pension tax relief, salary sacrifice schemes, and even the long-standing 25% tax-free lump sum may be heading toward the UK pension sector, prompting concern among savers and employers alike.
1:04 AM 6th November 2025
Opinion
The Absurdity Of Binary Debates: What Really Defines Effective Leadership?
Ian Garner
Business Writer
Image by Andrew Martin from Pixabay
It’s very common to hear people saying one group is better than another group in all sorts of examples, which are based on some sort of binary characteristic. I recently listened to a radio programme, aimed at an audience of businesspeople.
1:02 AM 6th November 2025
West Yorkshire Firm Powers Up For The Future With Solar Investment
Nimra Properties, a Dewsbury-based property investment firm, is future proofing its Caldervale Mills headquarters and trading estate with the installation of 565 PV solar panels.
1:00 AM 6th November 2025
Techworks Launches Women In Techworks To Meet UK Tech Workforce Challenge
The UK’s global position in technology depends on building and sustaining the strongest workforce possible. Yet, women remain noticeably under-represented in the tech sector—highlighting both a pressing challenge and a major opportunity for growth.
1:00 AM 5th November 2025
New Head Office And State-Of-The-Art Distribution Centre For Pet Food Company
INSPIRED pet nutrition, the fast-growing pet food company, has unveiled its newly developed Head Office and a state-of-the-art Distribution Centre, one of the largest in the UK, representing a combined £6 million investment in the company’s people, infrastructure, and long-term growth.
1:00 AM 5th November 2025
National Survey Launched To Tackle Skills Gaps In The UK Screen Industries
A major new UK-wide survey has been launched to identify current and emerging skills gaps across the screen industries — spanning film, television, visual effects (VFX), animation, and post-production. ScreenSkills, the industry-led skills body, is inviting professionals across the industry to share their insights to help shape the future of skills training.
1:00 AM 5th November 2025
Property & construction
Prime Thorpe Park Office Building Acquired For £3.25m
A 31,500 sq ft Grade A office building at Thorpe Park, near Leeds, has been acquired for £3.25m. 2150 Century Way has been bought by Manchester-based Newpark Group, advised by WSB Property Consultants LLP and JLMcr Property Consultancy, from the Threadneedle Property Investments Trust advised by CPP.
1:00 AM 5th November 2025
Hotel Group Marks 10th Anniversary With AI Revolution Creating 100 New Jobs
A go-ahead hotel group is celebrating its 10th anniversary and investing in the power of Artificial Intelligence to drive growth and create 100 new jobs. The Everbright Group, which operates Stonecross Manor in Kendal in the Lake District and The George Hotel in Penrith, says using AI is enabling them to significantly reduce costs and provide a better, more personal service for guests.
1:00 AM 5th November 2025
North East Brassware Firm Secures Six-Figure Investment
The Qualis Collection Ltd, a Middlesbrough-based supplier of premium brass fixtures and fittings, has secured a six-figure investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II) – NEL Smaller Loans fund. The funding, managed by NEL Fund Managers, is set to boost the company’s expansion plans, including product range growth and technology development.
1:01 AM 4th November 2025
Huddersfield Tech Firm Wins Suntory UK Order
Adventoris and Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I teams
Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I), the UK producer of popular brands including Lucozade, Ribena, and Orangina, has appointed Adventoris, a Software as a Service (SaaS) business based in Huddersfield, to develop and manage its new B2B trade ordering platform for the UK and Ireland.
1:00 AM 4th November 2025
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