Switalskis has appointed Paula Mayfield as deputy head of its specialist new build conveyancing team, supporting the firm’s national expansion strategy. Mayfield brings 25 years of experience in residential property across West and South Yorkshire, having previously held senior roles in Leeds, Wakefield, and Sheffield.

Following the successful launch of its compliance support service at the end of 2025, Carney Consultancy has helped 15 construction and engineering businesses secure Constructionline Gold accreditation. The achievement reflects the consultancy’s practical, hands-on guidance and rising demand for expert support as firms navigate tighter building safety and procurement standards.

Packaging sustainability consultancy Aura and graphics agency Sun Branding have launched a consolidated entity, Aura Global. The new business is designed to provide integrated strategy and technical services for retailers facing increasingly complex international packaging regulations.

Four former apprentices are celebrating career success at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, having progressed into full‑time roles across the ranger, communications and IT teams. After completing the same Countryside Worker apprenticeship, Alfie Baines and Benedict Parkin have both moved into Access Ranger roles, with Alfie based in Orton and Benedict in Hawes.

The number of Lancashire businesses experiencing ‘significant’ financial distress increased by 10.4% year-on-year to 13,151 in Q1 2026 compared to the same period last year according to BTG’s latest Red Flag Alert, which has monitored the financial health of UK companies for over two decades.

Voicescape, a provider of analytics and engagement software for social housing and local authorities, has reported a year of growth, surpassing six million properties reached across its product suite. Since October 2020, the Manchester-based company has increased its customer numbers fivefold and reported a tenfold increase in recurring revenue.

Sustainability consultancy Tunley Environmental has launched its latest guide, “A Guide to Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)”, designed to help organisations understand, develop and apply EPDs to support compliance and gain a competitive edge. Many businesses are under increasing pressure to demonstrate the impact of their products across the full lifecycle.

Britain’s food supply chain is under growing pressure from forces both at home and overseas. The latest instability in the Middle East has again shown how quickly a regional conflict can become a global supply chain issue, with disruption to fuel, fertiliser, and shipping flows feeding into food production costs and availability.

UK-listed companies in the North West issued four profit warnings during the first quarter of 2026, down marginally from the five issued during the same period last year, and marking the region’s lowest Q1 total since 2021, according to EY-Parthenon’s latest Profit Warnings report.

DS.Emotion, the branding, marketing and creative placemaking agency, continues to cement its reputation as a leading strategic partner for ambitious regeneration and place-making initiatives across the UK.

Manufacturers across Cumbria and Lancashire are being supported to take practical steps into artificial intelligence with a new toolkit designed to help SMEs turn AI from hype into real-world impact.

Half of internationally active SMEs say cross-border volatility is increasing stress levels, adding to pressure on decision-making. More than half (55%) of SME leaders say cashflow occupies their attention even when trying to focus on other responsibilities. SME leaders estimate that, with more access to working capital, they could redirect an average of five hours per week towards growth-focused activity. HSBC UK has launched TradePay to simplify access to working capital and streamline supplier payments.

At a time of heightened public scrutiny of corporate behaviour, the Institute of Directors has launched a new Commission to examine the role of business in society and assess the extent to which business is acting as a force for good in today’s world.

A sharp decline in retail sales and persistent cost pressures are set to deepen the private sector downturn across the UK, with the North’s industrial heartlands expected to feel the impact acutely. According to the latest national CBI Growth Indicator, British private sector activity is projected to contract through July.

A new CBI survey of nearly 700 businesses across the UK has revealed stark evidence that the current business rates system is acting as a major brake on investment, productivity and economic growth. Nearly a third of all respondents (32%) said that the business rates system has played a major role in cancelled, reduced, or delayed planned investment in their property.

Quilter: Continues to capture inflows from St. James’s Place’s client departures and adviser exits. WHSmith: Arrival of Relay at Heathrow poses a challenge to WH Smith’s near-monopoly in travel essentials; margin pressure increases as airports introduce more competitive tender processes. Renault: Mix of hybrids and EV has helped stabilise performance;Potential recurring software revenue. LSEG: LSEG Everywhere could see income compression in the short term;capital allocated to share buybacks would be better spent on consolidatingthe financial infrastructure space.

Walker Foster Solicitors has appointed a six-strong board of directors to lead its next phase of growth as the Yorkshire firm enters its 107th year. Based in Skipton, the independent practice has restructured its leadership following the retirement of equity directors Stuart Rowland and Keith Hardington, who depart with a combined 71 years of service.

Sentiment among UK manufacturers has deteriorated sharply, with optimism about both the business situation and export prospects falling at their fastest rates since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest quarterly CBI Industrial Trends Survey. Both output and orders declined, as competitiveness in UK markets deteriorated at a record pace.

UK food and drink inflation rose to 3.7% in the 12 months to March 2026, up from 3.3% in February, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The data reveals that rising costs for meat, fish, and confectionery were the primary drivers behind the increase, even as core inflation measures showed signs of cooling elsewhere in the economy.

Today’s data from the Office for National Statistics showed the annual rate of CPI inflation rising to 3.3% in March 2026.