Eight days left to cast a public vote before the cut-off, with the Town Hall ceremony still ahead Public voting for the Colchester Business Awards 2026 closes on Thursday 17…
Category: Business News
Essex SMEs face a cooler vacancies market, with verified hiring support still open
UK vacancies edged lower again in the May to July period, while the East of England still posts the highest regional employment rate. ONS does not publish regional vacancy counts.…
High-street footfall still soft as Colchester rateable values reset
National BRC-Sensormatic data show August footfall down on a year ago, with England weaker than the UK average. Valuation Office figures for the 2026 revaluation give a verified Colchester rateable-value…
Sterling steadier in July, but import prices still elevated for Colchester stockists
The Bank of England’s sterling effective exchange rate strengthened on the month in July, and ONS import-price inflation cooled from June’s peak. Local retailers and manufacturers should still plan on…
How to use Colchester’s awards and networking season without wasting hours
A practical guide for Essex firms on when local awards are worth entering, how to spend networking time, and when to decline the invite. Autumn in Colchester and across Essex…
North Essex Business Expo: last-look checklist for Colchester SMEs
What to confirm tonight and tomorrow morning before Charter Hall (Thu 10 Sep 2026, 10am-3pm) The North Essex Business Expo takes place tomorrow, Thursday 10 September 2026, at Charter Hall,…
July CPI at 2.9% and a further Ofgem cap rise: cost-base pressure for Colchester hospitality, retail and light industry
Official inflation edged higher in the year to July as housing and household services led the rise. Ofgem has confirmed a further domestic price-cap increase from 1 October. Local firms…
BCC Q3 forecast: 1% GDP growth and falling business investment, and what that means for Colchester capital plans
The British Chambers of Commerce’s September 2026 forecast keeps UK growth near 1% and expects business investment to contract this year. For Colchester and Essex firms, the national message is…
MPC preview, 17 September: hold versus hike with Bank Rate at 3.75%
The Bank of England decides on Thursday after a 6-3 July hold. August CPI lands the day before. For Colchester borrowers and landlords, the base case is another hold, but…
Cashflow and energy-cost resilience for Colchester and Essex firms after July’s CPI rise and the October Ofgem cap
Practical steps local businesses can take as inflation edged higher in July and wholesale energy costs feed through to non-domestic contracts from autumn Colchester and wider Essex firms face a…