Beaulieu Park Station Opens to Passengers

31st October 2025

The newest station in East Anglia, Beaulieu Park, is now open. The first new station on the Great Eastern Main Line in over a century. The state-of-the-art facility, operated by Greater Anglia, marks a major transport milestone for Chelmsford and the wider East of England. Opening ahead of schedule,...

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Quarterly Recruitment Outlook: Budget Must Tackle Persistent Hiring Problems

27th October 2025

The BCC Insight Unit’s latest Quarterly Recruitment Outlook (QRO) shows that difficulties in finding staff persist despite rising unemployment. Just over half of firms (54%) surveyed said they had attempted to recruit in the last three months. Of those firms trying to hire staff, 75% said they experienced difficulties,...

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Businesses Squeezed As Inflation Remains High

22nd October 2025

Reacting to the latest inflation data published by the ONS this morning, David Bharier, Head of Research at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:   “Sticky inflation has been in danger of becoming a uniquely British disease as the UK continues to stand out from the rest of the G7....

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Regional Investment Key To UK’s Economic Future

22nd October 2025

Responding to the Chancellor’s speech at the Regional Investment Summit, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said: “These new investments must drive the partnership between government and business to a new level, as we work together to power up our regions. “To boost economic growth, we have to...

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Service Exports Climb But Goods Trade In Flux

17th October 2025

Commenting on the latest ONS trade data, BCC Head of Trade Policy, William Bain, said: “UK trade is heading along two distinct paths. There is a steady rise in services, which already account for more than half of UK exports, but trade in goods remains in flux. Manufacturers are...

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The Power of Collaboration in LSIP 2.0 Development

16th October 2025

Collaboration is central to progress, fostering shared learning, innovation, and growth. By working together, we exchange diverse perspectives, challenge assumptions, and co-create meaningful solutions. This dynamic environment accelerates the development of essential skills such as communication, adaptability, and strategic thinking. Collaborative practice also builds trust and resilience, qualities vital...

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Unemployment Up As Businesses Battle Costs

14th October 2025

Responding to the latest labour market data published by the ONS this morning, Jane Gratton, Deputy Director of Public Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said:  “Unemployment continues to edge up while job vacancies continue to fall. These are clear signs that employers are holding back on recruitment...

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Make-or-break Budget Must Deliver Growth

14th October 2025

The British Chambers of Commerce is calling for Chancellor Rachel Reeves to focus her second Budget on key growth drivers to lift the gloom that has settled over the economy.   The BCC’s budget submission focuses on policies to encourage investment, strengthen the workforce, support exports and develop infrastructure. ...

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Greater Anglia enters public ownership as a high performing operator

10th October 2025

GA is committed to continuing to deliver an excellent service for customers and communities. Greater Anglia is set to enter public ownership this weekend in good shape as one of the UK’s best performing train operators. The transition takes place at 02.00 this Sunday (12 October). The move marks...

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Late Payments Consultation

03rd October 2025

The government has committed to tackling the scourge of late payments, which reportedly affect 1.5 million businesses, costs the UK economy almost £11 billion per year and contributes to the closure of 38 businesses every day. They are proposing a package of new measures that amounts to the most...

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