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The Future Of Venezuela’s Oil Industry
Output recovery will require at least a decade of massive investment due to a lack of infrastructure; there is no immediate impact on crude oil prices.
Market Analysis text across a b&w screen of economic data
Stocks & Shares:
MSFT
Microsoft
472.94
-2.2083%
AAPL
Apple
271.01
-0.3127%
GOOGL
Google
315.15
0.6869%
AMZN
Amazon
226.5
-1.8716%
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
207.35
0.1933%
JPM
JP Morgan Chase
325.48
1.0117%
Get Ready For New Employment Rights Enforcement Agency, Azets Warns
H-J Dobbie,
The clock is ticking for firms to get ready for the introduction of the Fair Work Agency (FWA), according to experts from business and advisory group Azets. Hannah-Jane (HJ) Dobbie and Julie Gunnell have warned that employers in the county could face a number of consequences, including fines, if they don’t comply with the employment rights the FWA will enforce.
P.ublished 5th January 2026
Starting A Business In 2026, So What’s Different Now?
Ian Garner
Business Writer
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Starting a business has never been easy, but in 2026, it can be a real challenge. With economic uncertainty, fast-moving technologies, and evolving consumer expectations, today’s entrepreneurs are steering through a changed environment. Yet, despite these challenges, the opportunity for innovation and success is possibly greater than ever, particularly for those who adapt early.
P.ublished 3rd January 2026
‘Inspiring’ Preston teen secures dream job in construction
Max Dodds, Dennis Lawrenson - yard and transport manager at Enigma & Paul Smith - Operations Director at Enigma.
A Preston teenager living with learning difficulties has spoken about how his life has ‘changed forever’ after securing his first job as a trainee scaffolder. Max Dodds, 19, has been offered his dream role with Enigma Industrial Services following months of paid work experience supported by top 10 UK housebuilder, Keepmoat.
P.ublished 3rd January 2026
Business Manager For Gateshead’s Metropolitan House As Owner Reports Strong Growth
Metropolitan House’s Peter Conroy (left) and Ellie Taylor
A North East office space specialist is investing in client services and operations on the back of strong growth with the appointment of a business manager.
P.ublished 2nd January 2026
Yorkshire Water Adds 900 New Colleagues As It Delivers Its Biggest Ever Investment
Yorkshire Water has welcomed more than 900 new colleagues since April 2025 as part of its £8.3bn investment programme, marking a major milestone for the company and the communities it serves.
P.ublished 2nd January 2026
Accu Managing Director Named As One Of Britain’s Most Impactful Manufacturers
Alastair Morris, Managing Director of Huddersfield-based precision engineering component distributor Accu, has been named as one of Britain’s most impactful manufacturers, part of The Great 100 recently revealed by Made in Group, the organisation behind Made in the Midlands, Made in Yorkshire and Made Futures!
P.ublished 2nd January 2026
£10 Million Of Late Payments Got Back By Small Business Commissioner
The Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) receives enquiries from small businesses who are experiencing unpaid invoices or unfair payment practices from larger organisations. The OSBC acts on behalf of the small businesses to address the reasons behind the payment dispute and seek a resolution. So far the OSBC has got £10 million of overdue invoices paid to small businesses.
P.ublished 31st December 2025
Yorkshire Businesses Set Sights On Growth Through Investment In Team Training In 2026
Staff training (44%) is the most commonly held investment priority for Yorkshire businesses in 2026. More than a third (34%) of Yorkshire firms plan to increase wages for employees, while nearly a third (32%) plan to invest in expanding into new UK markets Almost half (48%) are looking to improve productivity.
P.ublished 30th December 2025
BWS Predicts Five Defining Business Trends Of 2026
Image by yatsusimnetcojp from Pixabay
Michael Baron, Managing Director of BWS, is breaking down the FIVE must-know business trends expected to dominate in 2026.
P.ublished 30th December 2025
Under Pressure: How Collaboration Can Make Or Break Your Supply Chain
Cost pressures are shaping how clients approach partnerships, and businesses are prioritising balancing the books over recruitment and expansion. Matt Chapman, CEO at Leeds-based cleaning services provider SBFM, advises that rather than race to the bottom, businesses should use pressure as a catalyst to renegotiate contracts and redeploy staff.
P.ublished 30th December 2025
Durham’s Into The Light Programme Celebrates Major Success
Ensemble 84 cast: Brodie Daniel, Mo Aleyasin, Willow Pearson, Wendy Hindmarch, Thandolwethu Mzembe, Sophie Moss, Bryn Chaytor Wilson, Joe Hammal, Keith Irons and Ayanda Tikolo. Photo: Keith Pattison.
The arts & culture programme drives growth, creativity, and community pride across County Durham
P.ublished 29th December 2025
What Employees Really Want From Their Leaders In 2026
Image by Daniel Mena from Pixabay
The workplace has changed faster than most leadership teams have adapted. Employees are expecting more clarity, more honesty, and a leadership presence they can actually read. Gen Z’s growing influence is speeding this up. Their standards around communication are reshaping what good leadership looks like inside UK businesses. Recent data backs this shift.
P.ublished 29th December 2025
7 Procurement And Supply Chain Trends To Watch In 2026
As supply chains continue to evolve under economic, regulatory, and technological pressure, 2026 is shaping up to be a watershed year for the procurement sector.
P.ublished 27th December 2025
Christmas Spotlight: Jesper With-Fogstrup CEO Moneypenny
It's Christmas Day, and we have come to the end of this year's Christmas Spotlight. It proved very popular, and so today we have two extra spotlights to bring you.
P.ublished 25th December 2025
Christmas Spotlight: Cat & Oliver Barker
It's Christmas Day, and we have come to the end of this year's Christmas Spotlight. It proved very popular, and so today we have two extra spotlights to bring you.
P.ublished 25th December 2025
Christmas Spotlight: Neil Brown
It's Christmas Eve and as we come towards the end of this annual feature, it's the turn of Neil Brown, managing director of Yorkshire architects brown + company to continue our 2025 popular festive spotlight—featuring regional businesspeople from across the north answering 12 quickfire questions.…
P.ublished 24th December 2025
Cyber Security: It’s The Most Vulnerable Time Of The Year
Image by Kris from Pixabay
Cyber criminals are relying on Christmas-distracted staff to open the digital front door to critical business data theft. The stay-alert warning to local firms has been sounded by Paul Kelly, head of cyber services at UK top 10 accountancy and business advisory firm Azets, with offices in Durham, Newcastle and Teesside.
P.ublished 24th December 2025
Trailblazer Helps Ceinen Shine As Young People Spread Their Wings Into Employment
Ceinen Stark
From being a shy young man when he first started college, Ceinen Stark is proof of how a new jobs initiative is helping young people to shine on Teesside. Ceinen, 20, is one of eight trainees who have been given paid work opportunities by charitable leisure trust, Tees Active, as part of the Tees Valley Youth Guarantee Trailblazer scheme.
P.ublished 24th December 2025
Whitehaven Robotics Startup Raises $1m To Tackle Shipping’s $100bn Fuel Problem
Rohith Devanathan, ScrubMarine founder
ScrubMarine, a maritime robotics startup headquartered in Whitehaven, Cumbria, has raised just over $1 million in pre-seed funding to develop an autonomous system designed to clean and inspect ship hulls, helping operators reduce fuel use, cut emissions and improve safety.
P.ublished 24th December 2025
Tower Insurance Brokers secures major growth funding from TDC
Jon Petty, Investment Director at TDC
Tower Insurance Brokers, the specialist broker reshaping how non-standard commercial risks are underwritten in the UK, has secured a multi-million pound growth funding facility from TDC, marking the next chapter in the company’s rapid expansion. The deal follows a period of exceptional organic growth for Tower.
P.ublished 23rd December 2025
Christmas Spotlight: Andy Taylor, Sales Director Haydock Finance
It's just two more nights before Christmas and as we come to the end of this annual feature, it's the turn of Andy Taylor, Sales Director at Haydock Finance to continue our 2025 popular festive spotlight—featuring regional businesspeople from across the north answering 12 quickfire questions.
P.ublished 23rd December 2025
Adderstone Living’s Sustainable Growth Aligns With Homes England’s Long-Term Housing Vision
Adderstone Living, one of the UK’s fastest growing affordable housing developers, has expanded across the UK with new regional offices and a year of strong and sustainable growth. The company has moved beyond its Newcastle headquarters to establish a wider national presence with new offices now open in Yorkshire, the Midlands and the North West.
P.ublished 23rd December 2025
Festive Funds Bring £2k Boost To Wakefield Food Bank
A lifeline food pantry at Eastmoor Community Centre in Wakefield has received a £2,000 donation to keep pace with increased demand over the festive period. Eastmoor Community Pantry, based at St Swithun’s Community Centre, supports 35 families and individuals on a regular basis with food and toiletries, in addition to providing an average of 20 emergency food parcels a month.
P.ublished 23rd December 2025
High-Growth Innovators Selected For Top Tech Yorkshire Accelerator Programme
Top Tech Yorkshire 2026 has selected 25 of the most promising technology companies from across the region, following a record number of applications.
P.ublished 23rd December 2025
Property & construction
Major Extension At Cambridge Park Sixth Form College Completes
Cambridge Park
Yorkshire-based construction company, Hobson & Porter has completed a significant extension project at Cambridge Park Sixth Form College in Grimsby - marking a major milestone in improving educational facilities for young people with special educational needs (SEN) in North East Lincolnshire.
P.ublished 23rd December 2025
Sheffield Forgemasters Awards Main Works Contract
(L-R) aul Griffen, Managing Director at McLaughlin & Harvey and Craig Fisher, Programme Director (Recapitalisation) at Sheffield Forgemasters at the site of a new machine shop.
Ministry of Defence-owned Sheffield Forgemasters has awarded a major Machine Shop construction project to McLaughlin & Harvey valued at 210 million GBP.
P.ublished 23rd December 2025
Yorkshire Business Confidence Ends Year On 20-Month High
Business confidence in Yorkshire rose 22 points in December to 53%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds. Companies in Yorkshire reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up 11 points at 57%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 32 points to 49%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 53% (vs.
P.ublished 23rd December 2025
Celebrating Excellence Among Future Engineers As HETA Heaps Praise On Humber’s Emerging Workforce
Winners of the 2025 HETA annual awards.
Engineering training provider Heta is gearing up to celebrate skills success across the Humber. The organisation, approaching 60 years of industry support in the region, will put those taking their first steps towards fulfilling careers at the fore when it brings its three dedicated centres together for its annual awards.
P.ublished 22nd December 2025
Christmas Spotlight: Chris Granger, Architect, Co-Founder Crosby Granger Architects
As we approach the final days before Christmas, it's the turn of Chris Granger co-founder Crosby Granger Architects, to continue our 2025 popular festive spotlight—featuring regional businesspeople from across the north answering 12 quickfire questions. 1.
P.ublished 22nd December 2025
Private Sector Activity Rounds Off A Tough Year – CBI Growth Indicator
Firms across the private sector once again expect activity to fall in the next three months (weighted balance of -30%), according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator. This extends a run of negative predictions that began in late 2024.
P.ublished 22nd December 2025
Hedgehog Lab Acquires Label Sessions To Create ‘One-Of-a-kind’ Innovation Consultancy
BGF-backed digital product consultancy hedgehog lab has acquired Label Sessions – the Edinburgh-based global innovation network. The deal creates a unique full-stack innovation consultancy and combines the strength of hedgehog lab’s expertise in AI delivery and product design and development with Label Sessions’ methodology and network of more than 500 experts.
P.ublished 22nd December 2025
Surviving the Holidays Without Losing Yourself with Dr Claire Kaye
For many women, the holidays are painted as a season of joy, yet behind the scenes it can feel like a pressure cooker of expectations: hosting, organising, juggling work and family, and holding everything and everyone together.
P.ublished 22nd December 2025
Unity And Partners Back Leeds South And East Foodbank’s Christmas Parcel Appeal
Kelly Jennings and Rajesh Chaukria (right) visit the Leeds South and East Foodbank warehouse to deliver donations
Staff from BME housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise have delivered Christmas provisions to the Leeds South and East Foodbank. The consignment was boosted by contributions from Unity staff members, as well as contractors TI Security and Neo.
P.ublished 22nd December 2025
Sheffield Business Together Drives Over £200k To Address Social Challenges Citywide
(L-R) Tim Bottrill (Director of Sheffield Property Association), Louisa Harrison-Walker (Chief Executive of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce), Charlie Hedges (Project Coordinator for Sheffield Business Together), Helen Johnson (Partner at CMS, Board member of Sheffield Property Association) and Rebecca Knight (Managing Director of Ovo Spaces, Director of Sheffield Property Association).
Sheffield Business Together, the City’s responsible business network, is celebrating the power of collaboration as it marks another successful year of tackling social challenges across the city.
P.ublished 22nd December 2025
Retailers Report Bleak Holiday Trading As Sales Outlook Darkens
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Retail sales volumes fell at an accelerated rate in the year to December, extending a period of weakness that began in mid-2023 – according to the latest CBI Distributive Trades Survey. The new year is expected to start on a gloomy note for the retail sector. Retailers anticipate that annual sales will fall sharply next month, with expectations at their weakest since March 2021.
P.ublished 22nd December 2025
New Sustainability Report Signals A Critical Year For Climate, Nature And Compliance
Sustainability consultancy Tunley Environmental has published the 2025 edition of its annual Sustainability Report, providing a comprehensive analysis of the year’s most significant developments in climate action, biodiversity, regulatory change and corporate sustainability performance.
P.ublished 22nd December 2025
Christmas Spotlight: Faresh Maisuria, Blueberry Marketing Solutions Managing Director
As we approach the final days before Christmas, it's the turn of Faresh Maisuria, Blueberry Marketing Solutions Managing Director to continue our 2025 popular festive spotlight—featuring regional businesspeople from across the north answering 12 quickfire questions. 1.
P.ublished 21st December 2025
Christmas Spotlight: Liz Taylor, Founder Of Taylor Lyn Corporation (TLC) & CEO Of Liz Taylor Consultancy
As we approach the final days before Christmas, it's the turn of Liz Taylor, founder of Taylor Lyn Corporation (TLC) and CEO of Liz Taylor Consultancy, to continue our 2025 popular festive spotlight—featuring regional busin…
P.ublished 20th December 2025
Business Lessons from the Final Countdown to Christmas Day
As the UK has reached the final weekend before Christmas Day, the nation’s streets and shops are shining with an air of expectation, and businesses across all sectors are bracing themselves for the year’s ultimate commercial crescendo.
P.ublished 20th December 2025
New Adult Skills Funding Set To Boost Careers In Construction
An award of nearly half a million pounds from the Department for Education is helping Bradford College to support more young adults into the construction sector. Over £994k in Adult Skills Fund money was made available to regional colleges via the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) to deliver comprehensive construction skills, with Bradford College securing nearly 50% of the funding.
P.ublished 20th December 2025
Christmas Spotlight: Jo Meyers The Swine Bistro
It's the turn of Jo Myers, from The Swine Bistro, as we continue our 2025 popular festive spotlight—featuring regional businesspeople from across the north answering 12 quickfire questions. 1.
P.ublished 19th December 2025
York BID Warns Hospitality Sector Faces ‘Disastrous Blow’ As Rateable Values Soar By 41%
Image by Eduardo Vieira from Pixabay
York BID is warning that the city’s hospitality sector faces a potentially disastrous financial shock after new analysis revealed sharp increases in rateable values following the Valuation Office Agency’s latest revaluation. Rateable values determine the business rates a property pays, so increases lead directly to higher costs.
P.ublished 19th December 2025
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
L-R: Lucy Reding and Laura Fahy
Wilkin Chapman Rollits, the largest legal practice operating across Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, has announced a significant expansion of its senior leadership team with three partner appointments.
P.ublished 19th December 2025
Spencer Rail Engineering To Deliver New £28.5m Rail Station
An aerial visualisation of what the station, car park and access road will look like once complete. Credit: Greater Cambridge Partnership.
Yorkshire engineering specialist Spencer Rail Engineering has been appointed to deliver a vital new £28.5m rail station project. Headquartered in Hull, Spencer Rail Engineering has been named as the contractor appointed to design and build a brand-new rail station which is the key to unlocking the development of a growing community in Cambridgeshire.
P.ublished 19th December 2025
Investment Firm Saves Heritage Brickmaker York Handmade From Administration
4D Capital Partners LLP (4D) has completed the acquisition of York Handmade Brick Co Limited, a manufacturer of bespoke and premium bricks based in Alne, North Yorkshire. The transaction has prevented the company from entering administration and has secured the employment of 20 staff members. York Handmade specialises in traditional brickmaking for heritage and contemporary construction.
P.ublished 19th December 2025
Yorkshire Mobility Leader Fenetic Wellbeing’s Exclusive Rollator Named One Of The UK’s Top Best Buys By Which?
Yorkshire mobility specialist, Fenetic Wellbeing is celebrating national recognition from Which? after its exclusively stocked Nitro Sprint Rollator was named one of the UK’s Top 50 Best Buys for 2025. As part of its annual round-up, consumer testing platform Which? selected the rollator as one of the most impressive and innovative products for 2025.
P.ublished 18th December 2025
Atherton Dentist Filling Growing Demand For Local Services
A long-running Atherton dentist is relocating to a larger practice to help address the growing demand for local dental care services. For more than 40 years, Mayfield Dental Care has been supporting residents in the town with their oral health from its practice on Mayfield Street.
P.ublished 18th December 2025
Pre-Christmas Rate Cut Is Little To Cheer
Responding to the Bank of England's rate announcement, Julian Jessop, Economics Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs said: "The Bank of England’s decision to cut interest rates by 0.25% today was widely expected but still a close call, with four of the nine MPC members voting for no change.
P.ublished 18th December 2025
Lancashire Business Leader Calls For More Women To Join The ‘Hidden’ Building Materials Industry
A businesswoman from Leigh, Lancashire, is calling for more young people, especially women, to consider careers in the building materials industry, a sector worth billions of pounds to the UK economy and vital to delivering new homes, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure.
P.ublished 18th December 2025
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