News

BCRS Business Loans has announced the appointment of a new business development manager for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. Mark Savill has joined the West Midlands-based business lender to support businesses across Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and the surrounding areas which are looking for finance to achieve growth and make a positive contribution to the economic wellbeing of the […]

Plans to replace five former sheltered housing schemes with new homes for the city’s residents can now be revealed for the first time. Stoke-on-Trent City Council agreed to demolish five decommissioned schemes as part of a Sheltered Housing Review, back in November 2018, and last year work started to clear each of the sites. Now […]

Stoke-on-Trent has been named as one of the leading locations in the United Kingdom for the take-up of apprenticeships. Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been a driving force for the uptake of apprenticeships by offering them to its own workforce since the launch of the apprenticeship levy in April 2017 and also sharing its levy with […]

Specialist B2B marketing agency Lesniak Swann has welcomed a new account executive to its expanding team based in Stoke on Trent.   The new hire, Hine, will work in the agency’s account management team which develops and delivers creative marketing campaigns for big, international clients in sectors such as construction, energy and engineering.    Joel […]

Plans have been approved for the Transforming Cities programme of works to Station Road in Stoke to create an attractive and welcoming space outside Stoke-on-Trent’s main rail station.   Proposals for Station Road were approved at a Stoke-on-Trent City Council Planning Committee today (Wednesday 14 February). Members showed their support for the new public realm […]

Businesses and organisations across Stoke-on-Trent are being encouraged to take advantage of the Government-funded apprenticeship levy share scheme, as part of celebrations for National Apprenticeship Week (5-11 February 2024). The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced by the government to help fund apprenticeships and is designed to put the funding in the hands of employers to invest […]

The Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Careers Hub have unveiled its latest initiative, the ‘Careers Observatory’ project, aimed at fostering meaningful connections between local businesses and schools.

The ‘Best Summer Job Ever’ internship scheme has returned for 2024 – offering students across Staffordshire the chance to win a paid placement working with some of the area’s foremost creative agencies.

Researchers have entered into partnership to gauge the impacts of a new development described as “the biggest symbol of a Potteries renaissance.”

Specialist B2B marketing agency Lesniak Swann has won a clutch of awards at the Construction Marketing Awards – including the highly sought-after PR Agency of the Year gong.

Water Plus, the UK’s largest business water retailer, has won six more awards in 2023, covering water conservation and a gold award for carbon reduction, for its work with organisations in England and Scotland. It’s now won another four Green Apple Environment Awards, including an award for supporting habitats in communities, after winning two customer […]

To coincide with this week’s UK Global Investment Summit, the Midlands Engine Partnership, Midlands Innovation and Midlands Enterprise Universities have today [27 November] launched an innovative new campaign to drive international investment into research and development across the Midlands. With support from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology’s Tactical Fund, the GREAT Campaign, UK […]

Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG), announces the commencement of an £8m building project at its Newcastle College campus to create a two-storey, purpose built T Level Centre.

GivEnergy, leading energy storage manufacturer, is thrilled to announce the purchase of an additional property neighbouring its current HQ. This latest property acquisition opens the potential to create a multi-building headquarters complex in the heart of Newcastle under Lyme. Earlier in 2023, GivEnergy purchased Osprey House on Brymbo Road. The company turned the previously abandoned […]

Keele University’s new Digital Society Institute, housed inside the new Innovation Centre 7 building on the Keele campus, has officially been launched with an event on campus. The new Institute has been created to both address the challenges, and make the most of the opportunities, created by the digital revolution. The vision for the Digital […]

STOKE-ON-TRENT’S newest regeneration project has reached a major new milestone.   Construction of Capital&Centric’s Goods Yard has reached its highest point, with the 10-floor, 34m new build that will house some 174 design-led rental apartments now standing tall over the Trent & Mersey Canal. With the main structure now done, work will soon start to […]

GivEnergy, the UK’s top-selling battery storage brand, is thrilled to announce its expansion into the Australian market. With an established reputation for excellence in the UK, plus a rapidly growing presence in Europe, GivEnergy is now set to bring its innovative energy solutions to Australia.

Michelin Development has doubled the amount of funding it can offer to thriving North Staffordshire businesses targeting growth.

Specialist B2B marketing agency Lesniak Swann is gearing up for a prestigious night at the construction industry’s biggest marketing awards ceremony after being nominated for a remarkable fourteen gongs. With a strong heritage supporting construction industry brands, the Stoke based agency has won recognition for its work in a range of disciplines for its clients […]

Staffordshire University is to consult the community on plans for a new Student Village on its main Stoke-on-Trent campus.

Stoke-on-Trent and Leicester are two of the first nine places set to benefit from a share of £200m targeted to unlock the potential of their heritage.

Smithfield Works, located within the heart of Stoke-on-Trent’s transformative Smithfield development, has been shortlisted for the prestigious ‘Regeneration Project of the Year’ award at the Insider West Midlands Property Awards. The award recognises the significant impact of the project on the local economy and community.  

A £400m investment fund to support the growth of small and medium-sized businesses across the Midlands is on course to be launched early next year. The Midlands Engine Investment Fund II (MEIF II) is being delivered by the British Business Bank, bringing the total it has specifically earmarked for investment in the region to over £700m since 2017.

Overclockers UK recently clinched two prestigious awards at the annual eCommerce Awards, cementing their status as industry leaders.

The UK Games Fund has announced a new £5 million funding round available to UK games companies. The additional investment from DCMS will offer grants ranging from £50,000 to £150,000 as part of the Creative Industries Sector Vision

Creative UK has launched a new £35 million fund called Creative Growth Finance II (CGF II) to support the growth of the UK’s creative industries sector. The ambitious investment fund aims to help the UK creative industry meet targets set in the UK Government and Creative Industries Council’s recently published Sector Vision to grow by £50 billion and create one million additional jobs by 2030.

The Stoke-on-Trent enterprise park, which is part of a flagship jobs creation and inward investment zone, is fully let for the first time. 

An interactive heritage trail highlighting Stoke-on-Trent’s rich history is being developed in the city.   Stoke-on-Trent City Council has launched the Living Heritage City Trail spanning seven culturally-significant locations between Stoke and Hanley.   The two-year pilot scheme, which has been funded with £100,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), aims to showcase Stoke-on-Trent’s […]

A custom-built automated powder coating system has revolutionised production processes at Broxap Street Furniture as part of a £3m-plus sustainable manufacturing project. The introduction of the system is the latest stage in a huge transformation project for the Staffordshire-based firm, which has seen it make sweeping changes to support a more sustainable operation. The first […]

BCRS Business Loans has passed another milestone by supporting more than 250 businesses in the West Midlands through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund’s Small Business Loans Fund.

BCRS, which specialises in funding for businesses that struggle to access finance from traditional lenders, has lent over £16m to 267 companies through the MEIF, a collaboration between the British Business Bank and 10 local enterprise partnerships in the West, East and South Midlands. The lending has led to 2,681 jobs being safeguarded, with a further 1,035 roles created.

Invest Stoke-on-Trent, the city’s dedicated investment service is administering this programme and will guide eligible businesses through the application process, advising on programme delivery and UKSPF compliance.

Specialist marketing and PR agency Lesniak Swann has moved to new, larger offices at the historic former Spode site in Stoke-on-Trent – now a growing hub for creative businesses.

Works are set to start on transforming Station Road and College Road, in Stoke, creating a safe and attractive travel route between Stoke-on-Trent station and the city centre and to encourage more sustainable travel by rail, bus, cycling and walking.

Three BCRS Business Loans business development managers have hit a significant lending milestone.

Staffordshire University’s Innovation Enterprise Zone has office spaces perfect for growing your business. Located on the Stoke campus, we currently have a 4-person office available for rent starting at just £305 per month

Office for Place established in Stoke-on-Trent to help councils create beautiful, successful and enduring places.

Plans to power the Goods Yard neighbourhood in Stoke-on-Trent with renewable energy are taking a major leap forward.

Staffordshire University is the first UK university to become an Unreal Authorised Training Centre Our authorised training centre will form the cornerstone of our support for industry, schools and colleges CPD in games development, virtual production, simulations, VR and the host of sectors for whom Unreal Engine will be core software. We are pleased to […]

LiDR, in Stoke-on-Trent, has been appointed by Wates Construction as a subcontractor for Oxford University’s new Life and Mind Building.

An industry-leading metal fabrication company has notched up a record-breaking million-pound sales month. Grenville Engineering based in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, achieved the milestone in June – with company bosses putting it down to a dedicated and exceptional team and an “unwavering commitment to excellence”. Sales Director Stuart Rawlinson said: “We are absolutely thrilled and proud to announce […]

Turnover and pre-tax profits have risen at the Staffordshire-based UK arm of a German lubricant giant, according to new documents, despite volumes being down on the prior year.

A leading energy storage firm is continuing its plans for substantial investment in North Staffordshire by submitting proposals for a second multi-million pound factory in the area. 

Stoke-on-Trent has been named as one of the most attractive locations in the UK to launch a new business. 

A landmark gateway site in Longton, significant to Stoke-on-Trent’s ceramics heritage, has received planning approval for re-development into attractive town centre homes.

The British Ceramic Confederation (BCC) has secured approximately £6m of government funding to support further research into the use of hydrogen.

A Stoke-on-Trent-based design and marketing agency has played a pivotal promotional role in the UK launch of the world’s first saliva pregnancy test.
Lawrence Davis has designed the packaging and branding as well as devised the marketing campaign and social media strategy for the pioneering Salistick™.

Browns Distribution, in Stoke-on-Trent, has been shortlisted for three top industry awards.
They are in the running for Logistics Service Provider of the Year at the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) Awards for Excellence and have been shortlisted for both Haulier of the Year and the Customer Care Award at the Motor Transport Awards. 

Keele University’s School of Medicine has been ranked as the top performing medical school globally in the latest Planetary Health Report Card – and first in the UK for the third year running.

A North Staffordshire manufacturer of household and vehicle cleaning products is pressing the button on a major investment drive. Future Developments (Manufacturing), which has blended and made chemicals that go into more than 1500 different products, is spending more than £500,000 on creating an additional 15,000 sq ft production facility at its Davenport Street home […]

Student progression to good careers and jobs and higher education was showcased in style at Stoke on Trent College’s annual student awards event, Celebrating Success.

National property consultancy Carter Jonas – acting on behalf of Severn Trent Water – has sold a development site located on the A50 at Meir, Stoke-on-Trent.

Hundreds of Staffordshire businesses celebrated innovation and success at an awards event staged by Staffordshire University to mark the end of three major projects with local companies.

Both Steelite International and Michelin Tyre PLC have signed up to sponsor the Staffordshire Business Environment Network (SBEN) to help it continue to provide free help to cut carbon emissions and energy costs.

A family-run engineering business in North Staffordshire is continuing to grow thanks to support from one of the world’s biggest tyre manufacturers. Patera Engineering has a long-term relationship with Michelin Tyre whose UK commercial headquarters is in Stoke-on-Trent. Patera has benefited for eight years from the Michelin Development fund, which supports regeneration of the local business community and […]

Analytics specialist VUIT forges partnership to deliver data driven solutions to healthcare sector

The UK’s largest water retailer Water Plus has received a top environmental accolade

Plans have been submitted for the redevelopment of Stoke-on-Trent College’s main campus.

Home Office letting boosts leasing volumes. CoStar’s Analytics Team has found that Stoke-on-Trent has witnessed its highest annual office leasing for five years, following a key letting to the Home Office.

Business leaders in Staffordshire welcome HSBC UK’s launch of a £1.5 billion fund.

Refugees from countries including Ukraine and Syria are being supported into work across Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire by a partnership between two Chambers of Commerce.

The latest all-electric Lexus car was launched locally against the backdrop of a multi-technology energy park. 

An ex-dairy farmer who changed tack to set up a nursery business has scooped a Gold Medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show at the first attempt.  Barry Proctor of Proctors Nursery in Brown Edge scooped the accolade for his Great Pavilion exhibit which featured a “Potteries Tea Hut”.  His display of herbaceous perennials and annuals wowed visitors to […]

Plans to create the world’s first carbon neutral waste treatment works in Staffordshire have been unveiled by the area’s water supplier.

Flurry of 100,000-Square-Foot Burton Lettings Boosted Volumes

A multi-million pound redevelopment of the former Dudson pottery site is attracting “strong” interest, including from national operators.

The purchase by consumer goods firm RKW will create up to 100 new jobs at its head office in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, and 750,000 sq ft distribution centre in Stone.

Staffordshire waste management specialist Brown Recycling has announced a series of changes within its senior leadership team to help boost business growth.

The extension to its Leek Road-based campus is a multi-story facility with state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, research facilities, and simulation rooms.

A new report has revealed that Keele University contributes around half a billion pounds each year to the West Midlands economy, with nearly three quarters of this (£345m) in the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire local enterprise area.

The Home Office has reconfirmed commitment to Stoke-on-Trent with plans for a long-term base in the city.

Thousands of new homes are set to be built in Stoke-on-Trent over the next 10 years, thanks to a ground-breaking partnership with Homes England.

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery is set to benefit from a £5 million investment following a successful application for the Cultural Development Fund.