A practical guide to registering correctly, watching the VAT threshold, insurance, health and safety, data protection, and employment basics — with links to official guidance for Essex readers. Running a…
Digital basics for Colchester high-street and trade firms
A practical guide to websites, booking, invoicing, payments, cyber hygiene and local directories — without chasing every new platform Local firms in Colchester and across Essex do not need a…
Managing cashflow for small firms in Colchester and north Essex
A practical guide for retail, hospitality, trades and professional services owners who need steadier money in the bank — not more jargon. Cashflow is simply the money coming into a…
Business rates and premises costs for Essex SMEs: a practical guide for Colchester firms
Understanding rateable value, reliefs, leasing versus buying, and how to keep high-street and industrial occupancy costs under control Business premises remain one of the largest fixed costs for small and…
Hiring locally in Colchester and north Essex: a practical guide for employers
Finding staff, using apprenticeships, choosing hours that fit the business, and keeping people without promising pay you cannot sustain. Hiring well is rarely about a single advert. For shops, cafés,…
Colchester trade advisory firm ETK Group wins King’s Award for Enterprise
Lodge Lane consultancy recognised for international trade growth after more than a decade advising on African market entry A Colchester-based international trade advisory firm has been named among the UK…
Wesbroom Engineering on Mersea Road
A Colchester metal fabrication and trailer workshop with an active Companies House record and NTTA listing, serving trade and domestic customers from a fixed south Colchester base. On Mersea Road…
Fitting still matters at Lexden’s long-running independent shoe shop
Clare Campbell’s Church Lane store keeps the focus on measured fittings, width choice and everyday footwear, not high-street theatre. Lexden Shoes sits on Church Lane in Lexden, Colchester, a short…
Rose Calendars keeps promotional print running on Severalls
Rose of Colchester Limited still designs and prints branded calendars from its Colchester factory, with a public push on UK manufacture and on-site solar. For local firms looking past digital-only…
Where Colchester crowds are likely to gather on 12–13 September
A short guide for traders and hospitality on overlapping markets and festivals, entry costs, and which parts of town (and beyond) each event pulls towards. Colchester’s mid-September weekend stacks several…