Family Farms
The Countryside vs The Treasury: A Rebellion Reaches the High Court
Taxing family farms like share portfolios is an act of economic vandalism.
South West Economy
Cheltenham Festival
The Road to Ruin is Paved with Good Intentions
The Cheltenham Festival is a roaring success. So, naturally, the Government has decided to try and break it.
Business
The Gentle Insult of a Spring Statement
That taxation is at its highest level in 70+ years, is a record which Rachel Reeves seems perversely proud.
Yeovil
A Government without a Compass
This was not a moment of leadership. It was a moment of capitulation, a Government blinking in the face of a political firestorm of its own making.
Wapping Wharf
The Soul of a City is Not a Museum Piece
The recent approval of the Wapping Wharf North plot by Bristol City Council marks a significant milestone in a 20-year regeneration vision for the city's Floating Harbour.
Infrastructure
From Concorde to Concerts: The Rebirth of Filton
The announcement of the 20,000-capacity Aviva Arena at the historic Brabazon Hangars marks a decisive shift from public sector indecision to private sector ambition.
Britsol Airport
Bristol’s Ascent: A Question of Ambition
WECA's plan for a Bristol Airport fixed link is vital for the South West's economic potential and unlocking routes to Nort America and the Middle East would be transformative.
Coastal Enterprise
The Slow Strangulation of the South West: How Government Policy is Killing Coastal Enterprise
The businesses of the South West are asking for a government that is on their side, not on their back.
Save Our Pubs
The Paucity of the Chancellor’s Gift: A Closer Look at the Government’s Pub Relief Package
A one-off discount of £1,650 is a pittance … an insolvency tsunami is heading our way.
Save Our Pubs
The Last Publican: How Whitehall is Calling Time on the British Pub
The Government must start treating the British pub not as a cash-cow to be milked dry, but as a national asset to be protected.
corporate strategy
The Exit Trap: Why the South West’s ‘Succession Crisis’ is a Tax on Toil
As retiring founders head towards the ‘Exit’ sign, the Treasury has quietly padlocked the door. We explore why the South West’s brewing succession crisis is being treated as a revenue stream.
Regional Governance
The Somerset Shakedown: A Masterclass in Civic Gall
By declaring a 'financial emergency,' Somerset Council is effectively telling the Secretary of State that the people are too foolish to be trusted with a ballot paper. A deep dive into the 'referendum bypass' and the death of consent in Taunton.