Subsidies to Wales have made devolution a begging bowl rather than a point of pride
Did you raise a toast yesterday to the staff of Gwynedd Council in North Wales? They were enjoying their very own special Bank Holiday to celebrate the day of the patron saint of Wales, St David. Gwynedd council proudly declared in January that it would “grant” this extra holiday. All very well and good, except that […]
A four day week must withstand the productivity test to be worth the gamble
Durham based challenger bank Atom has announced a four day working week for all of its 430 employees as more and more people debate the number of days we should be working. For SMEs in the services sector, a four day week is an attractive bandwagon to jump on. It is commonly given credit for […]
State intervention can boost our economy but only the private sector can rebalance it
The government’s long awaited levelling up white paper was met with a lukewarm reception last week. One of the main complaints was that there was not enough – or in fact any – new money for the regions. Many localities have become stuck with low levels of productivity and, as a consequence, low levels of […]
The mountain of debt cannot be ignored no matter how much the economy grows
Politicians and regulators are increasingly concerned about one phenomenon: buy-now-pay-later (BNPL). Nearly a year ago, the government agreed to regulate BNPL lenders, with an independent review chaired by City expert Christopher Woolard warning the sector represented a “significant potential consumer harm”. A Treasury consultation on BNPL only closed at the end of last year. It […]
Lending a hand: government loans to energy firms can’t be the final answer
Some of the media seem to have become addicted to gloom. Most outfits have become cautiously optimistic on Covid-19, but the prospective double squeeze on living standards has rushed in to fill the gap. Consumers are faced with tax increases and sharp rises in energy bills. The surge in the world price of energy means […]
Unchallenged inflation will make strike action the norm in a new labour market
Last Friday, London once again muddled through the inconvenience of yet another Tube strike. Another one is planned for the middle of December. They are just as much a feature of the metropolitan scene as Big Ben. Until more of the trains are automated, Tube staff will retain the capacity to cause disruption. But this […]
Think petrol panic buying was bad? Wait til you see what’s (not) in store this Christmas
It is that time of year again: ice skating, cold, clear blue skies, fairy lights decorating Oxford Street, and fears about having enough Christmas toys on the shelves. There are two key themes to this year’s scare stories. First, supply problems could lead to a deluge of children missing out on the most popular toys. […]
Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company granted planning permission
Following a planning appeal and public inquiry, the Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company (WOFC) have been granted permission to keep oyster farming trestles on the foreshore of Whitstable Bay. WOFC are a family-owned company, and one of the oldest companies in the UK with roots tracing back to 1793. In recent years, the company have moved […]
Kidderminster and Bromsgrove success in Levelling Up Fund applications
Volterra are delighted to see the announcement of funding for Kidderminster and Bromsgrove as part of the governments levelling up agenda. We thoroughly enjoyed working with Wyre Forest District Council and Bromsgrove District Council to help support their efforts to gain funding to re-develop their town centres. Wyre Forest District Council have secured £17.9m worth […]
ExCeL London gets green light for expansion
Volterra are delighted to see the expansion of ExCeL London receive planning approval. An additional 25,000sqm of premium event space will be delivered at ExCeL London, increasing overall floorspace at the venue by 25%. This expansion will allow ExCeL London to continue to host the biggest and best events, attracting visitors from all over the […]
