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Testing King Colis: The Viral French Mystery Shop Hits Bradford
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Who remembers birthday parties in the Seventies with pass the parcel, sleeping lions, musical chairs and, to send your guests home, a lucky dip as they tumbled out the door? No one? Just me then. Fast forward to Monday morning, and I felt a nostalgic buzz of excitement as I rifled through wooden crates full of nondescript packages in Bradford’s Broadway shopping centre.
P.ublished 2nd June 2026
The Data City Expands Into The US As Demand For Ai-Ready Economic Data Grows
The Data City senior team (L-R) Tom Forth, Mitali Mookerjee, Paul Connell, Kelly Weston, Emma Dickinson, Alex Craven.
The Data City, the Leeds-based economic intelligence company, is expanding into the US after a year of rapid growth driven by demand for AI-ready economic data. The company, which is replacing traditional industrial classification systems with its ‘Industry Engine’ product, said revenue rose 46 per cent to £1.9m in its latest financial year, while headcount increased from 17 to 31 employees.
P.ublished 3rd June 2026
North West Early Years Pros Offered Free Safer Sleep Training
Image by Daniela Dimitrova from Pixabay
Nursery practitioners in the North West are being offered free safer sleep training as part of a new initiative to help reduce the risk of sleep-related infant deaths. Early years professionals in the county will be able to enrol one colleague per setting onto the online course thanks to a partnership between Realise Early Years and The Lullaby Trust.
P.ublished 3rd June 2026
JMG Group Completes Three Acquisitions Across Insurance And Risk Services
L-R: St.John Canfield Payne (Canfield Payne), Hema Chpra and Akhil Chaudhry (Jaggi), and Craig Cooper (Safetynet Scotland).
Leeds-headquartered JMG Group has invested in three insurance and risk services businesses, further extending its footprint across England and Scotland. Joining the group are London-based Jaggi Insurance Brokers, Canfield Payne Insurance Consultants in West Sussex and Aberdeen-based Safetynet Scotland.
P.ublished 3rd June 2026
Playstation Pioneer To Headline Teesside Gaming Conference
Global video game industry figures have been confirmed to speak at a flagship conference in the North East later this year, highlighting the region's expanding digital and creative sector. Game Republic has announced that PlayStation architect Ken Kutaragi and Landfall’s Rebecca Lautner will speak at its New Horizons conference.
P.ublished 3rd June 2026
New Guidance Helps Organisations Navigate Greenwashing Risks
Tunley Environmental and CSR Accreditation (CSR-A) have launched a new whitepaper exploring how organisations can communicate sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity more credibly in an environment where claims are being examined more closely than ever before.
P.ublished 3rd June 2026
Humber Showcased As Industry Leader At Energy Summit In Taiwan
The Humber’s model for large-scale industrial regeneration has been recognised at a gathering of energy leaders in Taiwan. Delegates from the UK visited Taiwan to take part in a programme of events focused on major investments and technologies which can decarbonise industry, create skilled jobs and drive growth.
P.ublished 3rd June 2026
Connectus Records 225 Per Cent Operating Profit Increase
Managed IT provider Connectus Business Solutions has reported a significant year of growth, increasing its operating profit by 225 per cent. The Doncaster-headquartered company also completed its first international deployment in Istanbul, launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) managed service, and invested £500,000 into full fibre infrastructure at Doncaster Airport.
P.ublished 3rd June 2026
Cobra Sport Drives 30% Growth Following NPIF Funding
Rachel Abbott, CEO and Co-founder of Cobra Sport
Sheffield-based Cobra Sport, a manufacturer of high-performance exhaust systems, has achieved 30% overall growth between 2022 and 2025 following funding from the first Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).
P.ublished 3rd June 2026
Clearer Policy And Stronger Investment Needed To Scale North Sea CCS And Hydrogen Projects
Image by Reiner Bausch Reiner Bausch from Pixabay
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Hydrogen technology will be vital to cutting emissions and strengthening energy resilience, but progress will stall without co-ordination of infrastructure, clearer cross-border rules and stronger investor confidence, according to a new report OEUK commissioned from DNV.
P.ublished 2nd June 2026
LivingCare Group Introduces Full-Body MRI Service In Leeds
LivingCare Group launches full body MRI service
Yorkshire-based private healthcare provider LivingCare Group has announced the launch of a full body MRI service at its Leeds clinic, expanding its diagnostic capacity. The introduction of the service follows a significant rise in demand for preventative health checks across the UK.
P.ublished 2nd June 2026
National Rail Contractor Launches Recruitment Drive
Ben Blyth
National rail contractor, QTS Group, has announced a large recruitment drive. Offering several early career opportunities, QTS Group’s latest jobs aim to equip young people with the skills and knowledge needed to forge careers in the rail industry.
P.ublished 2nd June 2026
Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards Break Entry Records
A record number of entries has been received for this year’s Leeds Manufacturing Festival Awards, as industrial firms across Yorkshire step up recruitment while other sectors cut entry-level positions. The awards, which take place this week, attracted 45 nominations from 19 companies, an increase from 38 entries spanning 18 businesses last year.
P.ublished 2nd June 2026
Attacus Secures NPIF II Funding To Scale Global Cycling Brand
Newcastle-based premium cycling apparel brand Attacus has secured a strategic investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II) to accelerate its international growth. The funding, delivered via NPIF II – NEL Smaller Loans and managed by NEL Fund Managers, will be used to expand the company’s product range, increase stock depth, and upgrade its e-commerce infrastructure.
P.ublished 2nd June 2026
York Event To Address Workplace Grief And Economic Crisis
Business leaders from across Yorkshire are to meet in York this month to explore how personal trauma, grief and vulnerability affect workforce performance during periods of economic instability. The "Meaningful Business" event arrives amid a challenging labour market across the region. Recent forecasts from the EY ITEM Club project that the UK will lose 163,000 jobs in 2026.
P.ublished 2nd June 2026
IoD: Business Confidence Improves Despite Rising Concerns About Iran Conflict
The IoD Directors’ Economic Confidence Index, which measures business leader optimism over prospects for the UK economy, rose to -53 in May 2026 from -64 in April. Business leader confidence in their own organisations also rose, to +23 in May from +8 in April. This is the indicator’s highest reading since August 2024 (+23).
P.ublished 1st June 2026
Private Sector Anticipates Broad-Based Weakness Over The Summer
Image by Pexels from Pixabay
Firms across the private sector expect activity to fall in the three months to August (weighted balance of -24%), according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator. Companies’ expectations are broadly unchanged from April, when the report was last published, and extend a period of negative predictions for growth that began in late 2024.
P.ublished 1st June 2026
BP Board Acted Under Pressure, Says Governance Body
Image by Mariakray from Pixabay
The Chartered Governance Institute (CGI) has stated that BP’s handling of its chair's removal suggests internal governance processes may have functioned exactly as intended under significant pressure. Speculation continues around the sudden departure, with reports in the Financial Times indicating that serious concerns were raised and crystallised at board level before the decision was made.
P.ublished 30th May 2026
Zenith Secures Multiple Honours At Inspiring Workplace Awards
The Zenith team at the Inspiring Workplace Awards
Zenith, the independent leasing, fleet management, and vehicle outsourcing business, has been recognised at the prestigious Inspiring Workplace Awards, winning multiple accolades at the ceremony.
P.ublished 30th May 2026
Yorkshire Health Tech Firm Launches App To Support Independent Living
A new evidence-based health app designed to help people understand and manage physical ageing has officially launched in the UK. Developed by Sheffield-based ADL Smartcare, The LifeCurve app translates more than 30 years of research into a digital tool that helps people identify early signs of decline and take action to maintain independence.
P.ublished 30th May 2026
Opinion
Envirovue Doubles As Demand For Tech-Led Waste Solutions Accelerates
Lancashire-based waste management and technology specialist, Envirovue, has reported a 100 per cent year-on-year increase in turnover for the fourth year running.
P.ublished 30th May 2026
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
Care provider Tunstall Healthcare has appointed Shantelle Million-Lawson as Head of Tunstall 365 to lead its new direct-to-consumer strategy. The appointment comes during a growth phase for the Yorkshire-based health technology firm under UK Managing Director Mark Hindle.
P.ublished 29th May 2026
Why Yorkshire’s Family Firms Must Talk Earlier About Succession
Yorkshire’s economy has long been powered by family businesses, with a large network of firms built on hard work, judgement and reputation, often carried from one generation to the next. For many of those firms, succession planning is a major topic of discussion, and rightfully so.
P.ublished 29th May 2026
Premier Modular Sees Increased Profits After Another Successful Year
Offsite manufacturer, Premier Modular, reports successful 2025-26 financials, with increased profits, strong operational performance and continued investment.
P.ublished 29th May 2026
UK High Street Footfall Rebounds Strongly In Early Spring
Image by Narcis Ciocan from Pixabay
UK town and city centre footfall experienced a sharp rebound during March 2026, following a challenging February that saw visitor numbers decline across most of the country. According to the latest data from visitor behaviour and footfall insight provider Place Informatics, UK footfall increased by 2.36 per cent year-on-year in March 2026.
P.ublished 29th May 2026
Yorkshire Business Confidence Holds In May
Business confidence in Yorkshire held steady during May at 42%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds. Companies in Yorkshire reported lower confidence in their own trading outlook month-on-month, down three points at 56%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up two points to 28%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 42% (the same level as in April 2026).
P.ublished 29th May 2026
First Look Inside ‘World Class’ Quayside Recording Studio
Michael Nesbit
A Gateshead-based construction firm has secured a major contract to help deliver a "world class" recording studio on Newcastle's Quayside.
P.ublished 29th May 2026
York Residents Invited To Celebrate Community Connections At Free Summer Sparkle Event
Residents across York are invited to kick off the summer in style at Summer Sparkle 2026 – a free community celebration taking place on Thursday 4 June as part of the York Festival of Ideas. Hosted by local charity York Cares and Hiscox Insurance, the event will bring together people from across the city for an evening of music, conversation, creativity and fun.
P.ublished 29th May 2026
Revealed – The Small Businesses Most Affected By Energy Price Crisis
The percentage of small businesses in Yorkshire and The Humber citing barriers holding their business back from growing has hit a six-year peak (90%) – and is the highest figure anywhere in the UK, according to Novuna Business Finance. Further, the impact of overseas conflict on energy and fuel prices in the UK is now a serious concern for one in three enterprises (31%) in the region.
P.ublished 28th May 2026
Consumer Services Face Mounting Pressure As Profits Fall At The Fastest Pace In Nearly Six Years
Business optimism and activity across the service sector declined sharply in the quarter to May, according to the CBI’s latest Service Sector Survey. Business volumes declined further in May, marking the nineteenth and twenty-first consecutive monthly fall for business & professional and consumer services respectively.
P.ublished 28th May 2026
JCT600 Delivers Strong Annual Results Driven By Customer And Colleague Focus
Family-owned automotive retailer JCT600 has delivered a strong financial performance for the year ended 31 December 2025, with revenues of £1.326bn and pre-tax profits of just over £20.1m, as a sustained focus on colleagues and customers continues to translate into business success.
P.ublished 28th May 2026
IoD: 86% Of Business Leaders Say Employment Rights Act Will Harm UK Growth
New research from the Institute of Directors reveals that over eight in 10 (86%) business leaders believe that the Employment Rights Act will have a negative impact on UK economic growth. This represents an increase from 72% since the same research was conducted in May 2025.
P.ublished 27th May 2026
Property & construction
Development Consortium Boosts Affordable Homes Growth In Yorkshire And Humber
Wayne Noteman, Director of Regeneration at Unity Homes and Enterprise
A development partnership set up to empower housing associations and community groups to build many more affordable homes in Yorkshire and Humber is having an increasing impact across the region.
P.ublished 27th May 2026
How To Prepare Your Garden For A Heatwave, According To An Expert
Image by Shirley Hirst from Pixabay
Although the UK’s first official heatwave of 2025 was not recorded until June 19, temperatures are already soaring above 30°C. Yet despite extreme summer heat becoming an increasingly regular occurrence, many homeowners are still caught unprepared, leaving their gardens vulnerable to damage from the sun.
P.ublished 27th May 2026
SMEs Confident About Growth But Managing Insurance Payments Is An Issue
Photo: Towfiqu barbhuiya on Pexels
SMEs are confident about growing revenue in the year ahead but face issues with paying for insurance and late payments, according to new research from UK insurance premium finance company Premium Credit.
P.ublished 27th May 2026
Retail Price Growth Cools In May Amid Weak Demand
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
Retail selling prices grew in the year to May at the slowest rate in over a year – according to the CBI’s latest quarterly Distributive Trades Survey – and are set to grow at a similar pace in June. Sales volumes in the retail sector fell short of seasonal norms in May, while annual sales volumes continued to fall but at a slightly slower pace.
P.ublished 27th May 2026
3PL Innovation To Be Spotlighted At Scala’s 23rd Annual Debate
Global supply chain and logistics consultancy, SCALA, has unveiled the line-up and theme of its 23rd Annual Supply Chain Debate.
P.ublished 26th May 2026
South Yorkshire Initiative Aims To Boost Women Angel Investors
A fully funded education programme is launching in South Yorkshire to train a new generation of women angel investors and increase funding for early-stage companies. The TECH SY x Lifted Angel Academy will support up to 20 women from across the region, including professionals, senior leaders and entrepreneurs.
P.ublished 26th May 2026
Northern Firms Secure Spots On Best Places To Work List
Four prominent businesses from across the North of England and Scotland have been named in the prestigious Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026 list, highlighting strong workplace cultures outside the South of England.
P.ublished 26th May 2026
Knaresborough Startup ReBoxt Launches To Cut Cardboard Waste Across Yorkshire
A new Yorkshire-based business is aiming to reduce cardboard waste and help local companies lower their environmental impact by giving used boxes a second life. ReBoxt, based in Knaresborough, has officially launched with a mission to reuse high-quality cardboard boxes that would otherwise be discarded after a single use.
P.ublished 26th May 2026
Yorkshire Surges To Second In Fraud Hotspot List As Losses Hit £5.5bn UK-Wide
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Yorkshire has surged to second place in a list of regional fraud hotspots, as reported losses to fraud and economic crime hit £5.5bn nationwide in 2025. According to BDO’s latest annual Fraudtrack report, Yorkshire experienced one of the most significant shifts year-on-year, rising from eighth place (in value of reported fraud) in 2024 to second in 2025.
P.ublished 25th May 2026
Family-Run Veterinary Group Invests In New Newcastle Practice
Harrison Family Vets whill will open in Callerton, Newcastle next month
Independent veterinary group, Harrison Family Vets, is set to open a new state-of-the-art practice in Callerton, Newcastle next month as part of a £400,000 investment that is creating six new jobs.
P.ublished 25th May 2026
Northern Monk Launches Foundation To Boost Outdoor Access
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Northern Monk Foundation Team
Leeds-based independent brewery Northern Monk has launched the Northern Monk Foundation, an initiative dedicated to improving access to the outdoors for marginalised and under-resourced communities. The charity, formerly known as the Faith in Futures Foundation, has donated £150,000 to community causes since 2020, supporting more than 20 grassroots organisations.
P.ublished 23rd May 2026
B Braun UK Lifts Healthcare Coverage Of Workforce From 44% To 97%
B Braun Medical UK headquarters at Thorncliffe Park, Sheffield
Healthcare company, B Braun UK, has raised healthcare coverage across its 1,400-strong workforce from 44% to 97%, effective from 1st April, a transformation driven by direct employee feedback and delivered in partnership with workplace wellbeing specialists Howden.
P.ublished 23rd May 2026
Is Networking Key To Career Advancement?
In an era defined by rapid technological change, flatter organisational structures and increasingly fluid career paths, the question of how professionals advance has never been more relevant. Qualifications, performance and experience remain essential, but many argue that networking has become the decisive factor.
P.ublished 23rd May 2026
Market Analysis: Ryanair
Ryanair: Hedging Strategy Remains a Key Competitive Advantage AmidSurging Oil Prices; Ancillary Revenue in Focus After interviewing a number of executives in the aerospace space, Louis Knight, AVP at Third Bridge, made a series of remarks regarding Ryanair, informed by insights from industry experts: While the airline is successfully outperforming peers o…
P.ublished 23rd May 2026
Manufacturing Order Books At Their Weakest Since 2020
Manufacturing output volumes fell in the three months to May, extending a period of flat or falling volumes that began in late 2022 – according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey (ITS). Manufacturers anticipate output volumes falling again in the three months to August.
P.ublished 22nd May 2026
Northern Talent Tracker: This Week's Key Appointments
The Newcastle office of UK law firm Ward Hadaway has announced five promotions, including the appointment of Hollie Ball and Tom Shears to partner within the employment department. The regional promotions are part of a wider 19-strong cohort across the firm's national network.
P.ublished 22nd May 2026
Boardroom Apprentice Opens Pathways To Public Sector Roles
Helen Kitchen
Deputy Business Editor
Selected Boardroom Apprentices at the 2024 UK Boardroom Apprentice Welcome Event
A new three-year impact report from UK Boardroom Apprentice has highlighted the programme’s role in widening access to board roles, building confidence among aspiring members, and creating stronger pathways into public life. The evaluation summary, covering 2023 to 2025, shows growing demand for the 12-month learning, development, and placement initiative.
P.ublished 22nd May 2026
WERIT Cuts Material Use As Packaging Tax Pressures Rise
Bespoke sizes and colours of can in production at WERIT
Industrial packaging manufacturer WERIT UK Ltd is reducing plastic use across its product range through engineering-led design, as the UK’s plastic packaging tax increased by 2.3% from April 2026, putting additional cost pressure on manufacturers. In April this year, the tax rose to £228.82 per tonne from £223.69, applying to plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content.
P.ublished 22nd May 2026
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