Here are some of the top business stories making the national headlines. Average five-year mortgage rate hits 6% for first time in three years The average interest rate on a new five-year
Leading loss assessors Oakleafe Claims has launched a new podcast exploring the complex world of insurance claims. ‘The Claim Game’, hosted by Oakleafe Claims co-owner Dean Goodwin, has just aired its first episode featuring Grant Williams, who heads up the Midlands claims team for Oakleafe based within Staffordshire. Grant said:
More
New research by The Centre for Retail Research has found that 17,145 shops across the country closed their doors for good during 2022 – up by almost 50% on 2021. The group’s survey also found that over 5,500 of the shops went bust, while more than 11,500 closed as larger
More
Commuters returning to work following the Christmas period have been urged to avoid travelling by train as industrial action continues to disrupt services. ‘Significantly reduced’ train services will impact travellers from today, 3 January, throughout the week, to Sunday, 8 January. Travellers are then warned to expect ‘knock-on disruption’ to
More
Habitans Lettings has completed the acquisition of long-standing Newcastle-under-Lyme estate agency, Heywoods. Building on the success of Habitans Lettings, which has been trading for just two years, Managing Director Alistair Trippett wanted to grow the business – and with organic growth currently slow in the market, he made the decision
More
Hundreds of households across Stoke-on-Trent are getting help with their fuel and food bills this winter. Stoke-on-Trent City Council has distributed a further £300,000 to three organisations which are supporting families in need with fuel and food vouchers. The funding has been shared between Beat the Cold, who received £150,000,
More
CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, Sara Williams has been awarded an OBE in the 2023 New Year Honours list. Sara, who has received the award in recognition of her service to the community in Staffordshire, said: “I am humbled and, at the same time, enormously proud to receive this
More
Staffordshire residents are being urged to be vigilant as fraudsters attempt to exploit cost of living pressures with scams relating to energy rebates. Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards service wants people to have a chat with their loved ones about scams and to flag any unwanted mail they receive. The
More
Keele University Events and Conferencing has a new senior team at the helm with the introduction of a new leadership structure. Emma Woodcock now heads up the senior team as Head of Catering and Events, following a restructure earlier in the year, which now also includes two new Senior Events
More
The British Ceramics Biennial has been successful in its bid to The Community Foundation for Staffordshire to secure more funding for their ReCast programme. This additional funding, alongside continued funding from The Rayne Foundation, meets the total programme costs until mid-September 2023. ReCast combines creativity, addiction recovery and clay and is
More
Water retailer Water Plus has received a ‘Gold for water management’ and three ‘Silver international environment awards’ for its work helping organisations to increase water efficiency and lower impacts on the environment. It’s the second year in a row the UK’s largest water retailer, which is based in Stoke-on-Trent, has
More