Dorset business news
Dorset business news, newest first: openings, closures, awards and jobs across the area.
Top story
Dorset Innovation Park Adds 125 Jobs in a Year
Dorset Innovation Park near Wool added 125 full-time jobs in a year. Yeovil College plans a defence skills centre there, if ministers approve the money.
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Dorchester
£1,495 Grant Helps Dorchester Mum's Cleaning Firm Double
Cailin Lambrechts, 30, set up a Dorchester cleaning firm after leaving an abusive relationship. A £1,495 grant paid for rebranding; she now has four cleaners.
Jobs
Dorset Claimant Count 4,920: Over-50s Up 11.5% in a Year
4,920 people in the Dorset Council area claimed out-of-work benefits in September, 195 more than a year ago. Over-50s rose by 150, the biggest jump of any age group.
Business
865 Dorset Firms Closed in Six Months: MP Wants VAT Cut
865 Dorset businesses closed and 790 opened from January to June, ONS figures show. Vikki Slade MP wants a hospitality VAT cut in the coming Budget.
Business
New Dorset Businesses: 130 Firms Registered in a Fortnight
130 companies registered in the Dorset Council area from 27 Sept to 10 Oct, from a Dorchester coffee roastery to Weymouth boat charters, plus one liquidation.
Dorset
Dorset Claimant Count 4,900: Under-25s Up 13% in a Year
Dorset's under-25 claimant count rose 13.1% in a year to 990, the highest August figure since 2021, while the 25 to 49 band fell. The county total is 4,900.
Tourism
Dorset Tourism Awards 2026: The Finalists, Town by Town
Birds of Poole Harbour took the top prize, Nothe Fort and Summer Lodge won gold, and every winner and finalist is listed here. Updated November 2026.
Business
New companies in Dorchester: 26 registered in August
A festival company named for the Dorset Ooser, a pizza business, two personal trainers and six building firms are among 26 companies registered in DT1 and DT2 last month.
Business
Weymouth Bay Coffee Co at Lodmoor goes into liquidation
The company behind the Lodmoor Country Park cafe entered creditors' voluntary liquidation on 20 July. Who to contact if the Weymouth cafe owes you money.