BHVA Axis Hub CIC, a community interest company dedicated to promoting the creative arts on the High Street to bring communities together, is proud to announce the launch of its crowdfunding campaign to purchase the former Gala Bingo Hall on the High Street for the residents of Kettering and Northamptonshire.Beccy Hurrell and Lindsey Atkins, co-founders, want to bring back to life the old Granada Theatre in Kettering (also a former cinema and lastly a bingo hall), built by Princess Diana’s father. Their vision is to return the theatre, which once played host to the Rolling Stones, The Who, and Morecambe...

13 May, 2023

For a family fun-fuelled day out this May Half Term head to the Silverstone Museum.The museum has an array of exciting eye-catching displays and interactive activities on offer during its motor racing mad May Half Term of Fun, from May 27th to June 4th, including a guest appearance from presenter and author Fran Scott.The star of TV’s popular programme LEGO Masters will be visiting the museum on Saturday, 27th May for an exclusive family event to talk about her new book How to Build a Racing Car, where she will meet families and sign copies of her latest title.Engineer, pyrotechnician...

12 May, 2023

Focusing on family fun, great displays and a weekend of entertainment, the nostalgic event is set to be a date you can’t miss this August. The Northampton Balloon Festival is back this August after several years of postponement and this year is set to be a bigger event back at the event's original home of the Racecourse in Northampton town. On the 18th-20th August, you can enjoy a whole host of flights, sights, and family fun.The event is set to hold numerous hot air balloon launches, tethering and night glows. There will also be arena entertainment, live music, stalls, a...

12 May, 2023

HMRC interest rates for late payments will be revised following the Bank of England interest rate rise to 4.5%.The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee announced on 11 May 2023 to increase the Bank of England base rate to 4.5% from 4.25%.HMRC interest rates are linked to the Bank of England base rate.As a consequence of the change in the base rate, HMRC interest rates for late payment and repayment will increase.These changes will come into effect on:22 May 2023 for quarterly instalment payments 31 May 2023 for non-quarterly instalments paymentsInformation on the interest rates for payments will be updated shortly. How HMRC interest rates are...

11 May, 2023

Are you a business owner with questions on how to navigate mental health in the workplace?The latest SME Business Survey undertaken by Kettering people specialists HR Solutions showed that 85 percent of small business owners believe mental health at work is currently the most important area of health and safety.This is an increase of six percent on last year, which saw 79% of respondents choose mental health at work as the highest priority.Next week, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week (15th-21st May), HR Solutions knowledge manager Victoria Templeton and health and safety consultant Dom Greenwood will answer all questions...

11 May, 2023

Initial package of regulatory reform will reduce unnecessary regulation for businesses, cutting costs and allowing them to compete.Reducing burdensome red tape and tailoring rules to suit the UK economy could save employers around £1 billion a year First of a series of announcements taking advantage of the UK’s post-Brexit regulatory freedoms, delivering on our promise to grow the economyThe first dynamic package of deregulatory reforms to grow the economy, cut costs for businesses and support consumers was unveiled today.Taking advantage of post-Brexit freedoms, the Government will remove unnecessary red tape and regulatory burdens, ensuring rules and regulation for British...

11 May, 2023

Life-saving emergency services will benefit from greener zero-emission vehicles, thanks to £77 million in new funding for projects developing clean transport technologies, announced today.The HYER POWER project, to develop a hydrogen fuel-cell range extender for specialist electric vehicles in demanding roles like fire engines and ambulances, is just one of seven pieces of work across the UK that are getting joint Government and industry backing.The schemes, which range from work on battery-powered buses, to a hydrogen-powered version of the iconic Ford Transit van, will support more than 4,400 jobs across the UK over the next decade, from Bath to Ballymena.Investing...

10 May, 2023

Have your say before 7 June on proposals to disclose more information on business rates valuations.The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is asking for views on disclosing more information on business rates valuations.This includes having access to:an analysis of the evidence used to calculate the rateable value of your property an explanation of how evidence has been used.The proposed changes follow the government’s review of the business rates system.We welcome views from:ratepayers (including occupiers or tenants of non-domestic properties who do not pay business rates due to reliefs) landlords rating agents business representative bodies local authorities other stakeholders interested...

10 May, 2023

Legislation change allowing longer lorries and longer semi-trailers on roads will save 70,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the air.Longer lorries will be introduced to Great Britain’s (GB’s) roads to support the government’s priority to grow the economy, boost productivity, slash road emissions and support supply chains.Legislation will be laid today (10 May 2023) to safely roll out the vehicles on roads from 31 May. The longer lorries will be able to transport fast-moving consumer goods and retail products, as well as waste packaging, parcels and pallets.These new lorries will move the same volume of goods, but...

10 May, 2023

People across Northamptonshire are being encouraged to do their bit to help their local communities and sign up for the Big Help Out as part of the Coronation celebrations.The initiative, which launches on Monday 8 May, gives people across West and North Northants the opportunity to get involved with local organisations needing volunteer support. This could be on the day, at another event, or for a small amount of time each week, with the aim to get people out into their communities, meeting new people, learning new skills, and making a difference.Hundreds of thousands of volunteering opportunities hosted by over 1,500...

06 May, 2023

Local businesses, Voluntary organisations, and the provision of new cycleways in West Northamptonshire are among the areas set to benefit from more than £5.4million funding from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).The funding is the largest allocation in the South East Midlands and will be used to create pride in place, improve people’s life chances, increase skills, create stronger communities and support local businesses over the next 2 years.West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) plans for the funding include creating new and improved pedestrian crossing facilities between the Billing Road and Abington, in Northampton, and improving paths and cycleways to encourage...

05 May, 2023