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The UK’s flagship annual barometer of collaboration between universities and industry warns that progress is stalling, with signs of declining business investment, major corporate partnerships contracting, and growing financial strain across universities.

Lidl GB has published its first ever socioeconomic impact report which reveals that it generated £14.5bn in Gross Value Added (GVA) through its operations and supply chain in the financial year 2024 alone.

Responding to the much anticipated Autumn Budget, Ross McNally, Chief Executive and Executive Chairman of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Chancellor had already said she would avoid putting further headline tax rises on businesses but nothing she has announced now will put a spring in the step of Chamber members."

Responding to the Autumn Budget, Steven Martin, Senior Tax Manager at HWB Chartered Accountants, said: “I would have liked to see more simplification in the range of tax rates and allowances. Instead, there is more complication, with fine judgements needed about marginal rates when it comes to tax planning."

Executives and investors from the hotel industry have ranked London as the most attractive city for hotel investment in Europe in the year ahead for a third consecutive year, according to the 2025 European Hotel Industry and Investment survey by Deloitte. Edinburgh remains the most attractive regional UK city for investment for a fifth consecutive year. The Scottish capital was ranked most attractive by over half (54%) of respondents, followed by Cambridge (41%), up two place

Ahead of the Autumn Budget on 26 November 2025, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce is calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to focus on business-friendly measures that support growth and turn around years of weak UK productivity.

DMH Stallard has advised the Real Pet Food Company on the sale of its UK subsidiary Benyfit Natural to Finnish family-owned food group Snellman.

In the run-up to the Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards on Monday, 17th November, a new survey of 534 established business owners by Allica Bank reveals that while many businesses continue to navigate tough conditions, investment plans remain strong.

Ahead of the Autumn Budget, with small business owners already worried about the prospect of tax hikes, 53% of UK small business owners say they need to secure funding or finance in order to invest in growth plans for 2026.

Small changes to policies and processes could help SMEs improve their cashflow levels, a senior finance professional has said.

New research has revealed the scale of personal risk facing the UK’s entrepreneurs. One in three SME loans has a personal guarantee (PG) in place .

A young entrepreneur from Coatbridge and his dad have attracted 3,000 customers in their first two months of trading after they opened a new mobile food business in September.

Businesses across the Solent region have the opportunity to spell out exactly what sort of support – including grants – they require to drive growth.

When asked to identify the key challenges currently facing their businesses respondents highlighted a broad range of economic, operational, and generational concerns.

When asked whether they felt the government was doing enough to support family businesses, a resounding 92% of respondents said no.

Confidence and growth expectations within the UK family business sector have weakened, as firms also prepare for a major generational handover of leadership.

Employees experience the greatest motivation and wellbeing when their three key psychological needs are balanced, finds a new study led by Manchester Metropolitan University Business School: Autonomy: Having the independence to make decisions Competence: Feelings of mastery or efficiency Relatedness: Feelings of connection and belonging Drawing on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the study explores how support from leaders and colleagues can fulfil these needs and enhance

Women working in the tech sector need to trust their gut and push for what they believe is right.

The positive contribution of neurodiversity to the workplace was one of the key themes of Hampshire Chamber’s latest annual general meeting.

Mexican food brand Mexi Bean Express is firing up its UK expansion with the signing of its very first franchise location.