August consumer price inflation is due from the ONS on Wednesday 16 September 2026 at 7:00am, ahead of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee decision on Thursday 17 September.…
Category: Business News
ONS labour bulletin: cooler hiring signals for Essex firms this autumn
The Office for National Statistics labour market package published on 15 September 2026 shows unemployment steady at 4.9%, softer payrolled employment and vacancies, and private-sector regular pay growth at 2.9%.…
MPC week: gilts, QT and what elevated yields mean for local finance
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee decides Bank Rate on Thursday 17 September 2026 and will also set the next annual pace of quantitative tightening. Published expectations point to…
From Hythe Quay mouldings to national infrastructure: SGI Composites turns 30
Essex GRP manufacturer SGI Composites is marking 30 years in business, having grown from a small composite moulding company into a specialist supplier of access systems, linings, containment and other…
Red Lion Books keeps High Street reading alive after nearly five decades
Family-owned specialist bookseller earns national recognition while still taking orders overnight and hosting clubs on the shop floor On the High Street, Red Lion Books makes its living the old…
Craft & Flea brings curated makers market to Charter Hall this Sunday
Independent makers, designers and vintage traders expected at Cowdray Avenue venue from 11:00 to 16:00, with £3 entry and under-12s free Colchester’s weekend indie and maker footfall has another fixed…
IW2N Augustus Group returns to Wivenhoe House for facilitated Essex networking
Friday morning session at Park Road hotel targets Colchester, Ipswich, Suffolk and Mid Essex professionals seeking structured introductions rather than open-floor mixers Colchester’s facilitated business networking calendar continues this Friday…
Still going to the North Essex Business Expo? A late-morning plan for Charter Hall today
What to check before you leave, how to use a short visit if you arrive after lunch, and how to chase contacts tonight (Thu 10 Sep 2026) The North Essex…
How Colchester firms can still comment on the Submission Draft Local Plan before 4pm on 13 October
Subhead: A practical Regulation 19 checklist: portal steps, which employment policies to skim, and what “duly made” means before the consultation closes. Colchester City Council’s Submission Draft Local Plan is in…
What’s in the box: Bill and Bert’s wins national gift retail award
Colchester’s Sir Isaac’s Walk independent gift shop turns social media unboxing into a national prize, after years of drawing shoppers from across the country. On Sir Isaac’s Walk, Bill and…