Rugby and the region firmly on the map

Our chief executive, Corin Crane, was quoted in The Times on the topic and it was great to see our region being utilised for such an announcement.

There is no doubt that the Midlands, more broadly, is becoming increasingly in focus from a national point of view. We saw the potentially exciting news about further developments around a gigafactory on the site of Coventry Airport recently – with the story, again, being broken nationally.

I was also invited to join an event with Chamber colleagues, along with House of Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt MP, to discuss challenges that firms in our area are facing.

Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber, Great Birmingham Chambers and the Black Country Chamber of Commerce have created a joint report to plot a future roadmap for the growth for our region and this was discussed with Ms Mordaunt.

And, while we were operating under Chatham House rules, it is fair to say that all of us in attendance used it as an opportunity to get across some of the barriers to growth and also to bang the drum for our area, which is something the Chamber is very good at doing.

From my own business’s point of view (we are a logistics company based in the borough) we are starting to see some green shoots of recovery and we are certainly a good barometer for the whole economy.

If we are busy, then it means that goods are being moved and that manufacturers are completing orders. That’s something that has been reflected in the wider network of logistics companies and was also highlighted in a recent report that said manufacturing is starting to grow again.

There is no doubt, however, that global circumstances remain fragile and unpredictable but I believe there is a certain amount of optimism among businesses and long may that continue.

This is particularly pleasing when one considers that we slipped into technical recession at the end of 2023. In previous years, I think the mere mention of recession might have pushed the business mood into a bit of a spiral.

It seems now, however, that firms have been through so much in recent years that they are just doing everything within their own grasp to plan and grow.

And, as ever, I’d advise getting in touch with the team at the Chamber if you need any support in doing that.