"There are opportunities for businesses of all sizes, including micro businesses. It's about visibility and taking the opportunities to work together," says Zoe Wallis of The Little George, Eccleshall. Zoe is encouraging businesses across Staffordshire, not just those in the visitor economy but in every sector, to get involved in this year’s Staffy Trail as part of Staffordshire Day. “The 1st of May is Staffordshire Day, a day all about celebrating and showcasing Staffordshir

At COGNEWS, we are eager to have local jobs filled by local residents whenever feasible, which is why we've established our new Jobs Board. This platform allows local employers to post their job openings at no cost. If you have a vacancy you wish to advertise, please contact our editorial team . Trainee inspector of health and safety Closing date 2 March, 40 roles available The Health & Safety Executive is currently r ecruiting for trainee inspectors of health and safety acro

Being struck by a vehicle is still one of the main causes of fatal and major injuries in the workplace. The workplace transport section of HSE's website has a range of guidance, advice and other resources to help reduce the risks and keep workers safe. This includes: vehicle safety site safety lift trucks You can also download relevant publications from the HSE website, including: workplace transport safety - an employer's guide workplace transport safety - an overview The f

Work-related stress: a proactive approach to risk management 5 March, 11.00am to 12.00pm. Mental health conditions continue to be the leading cause of work-related ill health. In 2024 to 2025, 964,000 workers reported stress, depression or anxiety caused or made worse by work. This exclusive webinar, from HSE and their publishing partner TSO, explains how the work-related stress Management Standards and the Stress Indicator Tool can help organisations take a proactive, eviden

A full‑sized JCB digger dressed up like a collector’s scale model stole a few hearts on Valentine’s Day – and stopped Londoners in their tracks outside an iconic railway station. The ‘JCB Backhoe in a Box’ drew huge crowds when it was first unveiled at the digger maker’s World HQ in Rocester, Staffordshire. Now the capital is digging the love for this innovative display as it arrives in London - proving romance really does come in all shapes and sizes, even giant, beautifully

Just over a year since their re-development, Leek’s Butter and Trestle Markets have achieved national recognition by being voted the Best Small Indoor Market in the Great British Market Awards 2026 organised by NABMA, the National Association of British Market Authorities.   The annual awards, where peers in the industry are invited to vote for their favourite market across 11 categories, celebrate excellence, innovation and commitment across the UK markets sector.   The judg

Construction has started on the Newcastle-under-Lyme transformation of the old disused multi-storey car park. Tim Heatley of Capital & Centric, Manchester-based developers of the site, shared the news in his latest update. He told Instagram followers that work has started demolishing the old ramps, which is a mammoth task necessary to open the space up to create the new homes. This has never been done before in the UK, and if it works, it could become a blueprint for empty ca

During a Cheadle Town Council meeting this week, District Councillors Ian Plant and Vicky Wheeldon said that following a Growth and Economy meeting to be held in May 2026, steps will be taken to modernise Cheadle's Market Square. Currently, the building is locked, and the electricity is off. Bollards have been installed to prevent parking on the District Council-owned land adjacent to the building. Cheadle Market prior to SMDC purchase The building has now stood empty since S

During our interview with the manager of Savers Hardware on the High Street, we discovered that the individual in question received a suspended sentence, was mandated to complete 100 hours of community service, and was fined £100 for damages at the Savers store. The manager attended the court hearing and was pleased to share this information with COGNEWS. We hope the community service encourages the man to pursue a positive path and that crime in Cheadle will not be tolerated

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If you’ve witnessed anything locally or been the victim of unsafe goods, or exploitation, you can now report it to Staffordshire County Council - anonymously. Have you experienced any of the following: Supplying age restricted products to children Sale of counterfeit or illegally imported tobacco, cigarettes, vapes Supplying unsafe and/or counterfeit goods. Food Allergens / Labelling Exploitation of vulnerable residents Farm Animal Welfare Please let them know so that then ca

Saturday 24th of January saw the presence of a police car parked on CheadleHigh Street with the officer proactively collecting information from local businesses about the town’s crime wave. The officer said that a police presence in crime areas is part of the way police tackle petty crime. He assured our reporter that this type of crime is of importance to the police and that told us thatt he has been drafted in from his normal beat at Longton for this project. Good to see t

Staffordshire Police are making residents aware of a recent increase in key safe boxes being forcibly broken into. Offenders are targeting poorly secured key safes and using the obtained keys to commit burglaries at later times. Police approved key safe as fitted by n-able What you can do to protect your property: Review your existing key safe – older or low-quality models are particularly vulnerable. If a key safe is required, use a high-quality, police-approved model. Ensur

A stolen bay tree was discovered abandoned outside someones house and they returned it to the shop. Thanks go out to them for their neighbourly action. More thefts: At the Fruit & Veg shop On Saturday, 10th January, another theft occurred in a Cheadle shop. This time at Fresh Produce, a popular fruit, veg, and plant store on the Tape Street car park. We were told that a man looked around the trees and plants, then pulled up a face mask and ran away with a potted bay tree. CCT

Unlocking the Benefits: Why Every Homeowner Should Consider Fitting a Key Safe

Local manufacturer JCB has secured a contract for 535 militarized versions of JCB’s 437HT wheeled loader with the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to be supplied over the next decade. The contract is the third to be signed by the USMC, which five months ago placed a $45 million order for a militarized version of JCB’s 4CX backhoe loader. That followed a $39 million deal in 2024 for Multi Terrain Loaders, a militarized version of the JCB Teleskid compact tracked loader. Chris

If you’re venturing into the town centre today, Saturday the 24th of January, you’ll notice that a few shops are closed due to unforeseen circumstances. Included are Boots on the High Street and the Bread Basket. We told that this is due to a power outage and we spotted a couple of National Grid vehicles so we hope the disruption doesn’t take too long to fix.

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent's position as a leading location to invest and do business will again be showcased at a national investor event in May. A delegation will be returning to promote the area at UKREiiF (UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum) in Leeds next May to over 16,000 attendees. The three-day event is in its fifth year and brings together local and regional public sector organisations with government, investors, funders, developers, housebuil

Small businesses up to five years old are being urged to find out more about a support package provided through a Staffordshire County Council programme. Get Started and Grow offers FREE, fully-funded 1:1 support and advice. Pick the support that suits you: Expert accountancy & cash flow planning Legal advice to keep you compliant A professional website (up to 7 pages – FREE!) Branding & logo design that stands out Social media & digital marketing support tailored to your nee

A new visitor mascot for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent was launched at a major tourism conference at Uttoxeter Racecourse on Thursday 15th January.  The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) has introduced ‘Staffy’ – a charming Staffordshire Bull Terrier mascot, who is ready to put his best paw forward to promote the region’s attractions and lifestyle offer.   Staffy was brought to life with the help of award-winning Stoke-on-Trent animation s