In an industry often driven by short-term contracts and shifting ownership, Bagnalls stands out as a rare constant. Founded in 1875 and still family-owned nearly 150 years later, the Yorkshire-based painting and decorating specialist has grown from a small Victorian enterprise into one of the UK’s most respected names in its field.

Whether they are centuries-old manufacturers, neighbourhood grocers or emerging technology innovators, these firms play a far more influential role than their modest public profiles might suggest.

The ability to juggle roles, sometimes gracefully, sometimes awkwardly, is one of the least discussed yet most critical skills in family business life.

Hampshire-based business ChalkStream Foods has been named the UK’s SME Food and Drink Manufacturer of the Year at the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) inaugural MP’s Choice Awards.

Family firms sit uneasily between two magnets of modern capitalism. One pulls them towards profit, public markets and professional management; the other tugs them back to lineage, legacy and “the business as family estate”. That tension is where custodianship and stewardship live — the informal and formal practices by which families preserve the firm for future generations while trying to keep it commercially fit. The question for owners, advisers and markets is not whether f

Family-owned businesses, from small local firms to vast international conglomerates, that quietly form the backbone of prosperity, employment and innovation across the world

Across generations, well-governed families have shown a greater ability to grow, adapt and endure, balancing the needs of the business with the dynamics of family life.

New data from international recruitment firm Robert Half has revealed that UK employers are entering 2026 with a strong appetite for growth, despite ongoing economic uncertainty.

Independent family brewer and pub company Shepherd Neame is to reopen landmark Farringdon pub The Hoop and Grapes in February following a £1.8m transformation.

Looking back from 2025 to 1925, two years separated by a century of transformation, reveals not just how family firms have changed, but how history itself has sculpted their character, priorities, and survival instincts.

As we move into 2026 and beyond, family businesses find themselves standing at a decisive moment in their long histories.

Latest CEO Confidence survey, revealing a sharp contrast between how leaders see the wider economy and how they feel about their own businesses.

AI introduces new ways of engagement and is about to represent opportunities and threats for family businesses the world over

For family businesses, 2026 is shaping up to be less about chasing the next big thing and more about stewardship and protecting what matters, while preparing for what’s coming.

At a time of economic and political uncertainty, technological change and shifting consumer values, supporting family businesses has never been more important.

Campaigning results in APR/BPR amendments by Government which is welcome but more needs to be done to support family firms.

An open letter to founders of businesses this holiday season. As the holiday season unfolds—filled with family gatherings, travel, celebration, and well-earned comfort it's a good time to pause for a moment of reflection.

Family businesses have long been the backbone of economies across the world, yet they often operate quietly, modest in posture, mighty in impact.

To ensure long-term success, family business boards must focus on building trust, fostering accountability, and avoiding common governance pitfalls.

As Christmas approaches, these companies show, year after year, that doing business “the right way” is not only possible but profoundly impactful.