Bath Digital Festival will return to Bath as a three-day event organised by techSPARK, bringing together the South West’s technology, digital and creative communities.

This year’s programme centres on the theme “What If?”, described by organisers as an invitation to challenge assumptions and explore new ideas. The festival will feature workshops, technology showcases, discussions and networking sessions across the city.

It is aimed at a broad cross-section of the regional ecosystem, including innovators, founders, educators, digital creatives and early-career talent. The format is intended to be more interactive than a conventional conference, with an emphasis on hands-on sessions and community-led activity.

Speakers are set to include applied futurist Tom Cheesewright, authors Sam Knowles and Alex Barker, and technology executive Dr Jacky Wright. Contributors from HMRC, OLTA, ART, Binary Syntax, British Esports and Amazon Web Services are also due to take part.

Regional universities will also have a visible presence. Technology showcases are planned from the University of Exeter, Bath Spa University and the University of Bath, which is taking part during its 60th anniversary year.

Regional focus

The festival is positioned as a showcase for the South West’s technology and creative sectors as regional clusters seek to attract investment, skills and collaboration outside London. By bringing together companies, public bodies, universities and individual creators, it aims to highlight the breadth of the area’s digital economy.

That regional focus has been central to techSPARK’s wider work in Bristol and Bath, where the not-for-profit connects founders, employers, investors and educators. The event reflects that mission by creating a space for people in the sector to meet, exchange ideas and form partnerships.

The previous edition drew attendees from technology, education and the creative industries, with participation from senior leaders as well as emerging professionals. The latest festival is set to continue that approach, offering opportunities for networking, skill-sharing and collaboration across the South West.

Second decade

The latest edition marks the festival’s entry into its second decade, a level of continuity that remains unusual for regional technology gatherings. That longevity may help Bath retain its place on the calendar for businesses and institutions seeking local industry links and public visibility.

Alongside the programme announcement, Ben Shorrock outlined techSPARK’s view of the event’s role. “Bath Digital Festival is one of the moments each year where the South West’s creativity, curiosity and ambition really shine. With the festival now in its second decade, that longevity is proof that this is where the region thrives: when people come together to share ideas, challenge assumptions and explore what’s possible. This year’s theme, What If?, captures that spirit perfectly.

“We’re proud to bring organisations, innovators and communities into the same space to imagine the future and start building it. Events like this show why our ecosystem continues to grow in confidence and capability, and why collaboration remains at the heart of everything we do,” said Ben Shorrock, chief executive of techSPARK.

The programme spans subjects from emerging technologies to digital culture and the future of work. It will focus in part on questions around a digital future that is responsible, inclusive and accessible.

That framing reflects broader debates across the UK technology sector, as businesses, public institutions and educators weigh the social effects of new tools alongside the commercial opportunities. In Bath, the festival aims to place those issues in a local setting by connecting national speakers with regional organisations and communities.

For Bath itself, the event adds to the city’s growing profile as a meeting point for technology, education and creative work. The presence of universities, public sector organisations and private companies in one programme underlines how closely linked those strands have become in the South West economy.

The format will include panels, demos, interactive sessions and informal networking, with more events still being added to the programme.

HiBob has published research showing that AI skills are influencing promotions, performance ratings and pay decisions in UK businesses. The findings point to a broader shift in how employers assess staff and candidates.

A survey of 200 UK business leaders involved in hiring and assessing AI talent found that 63% of organisations link AI skills to promotion decisions, 61% factor them into performance ratings and 31% connect them directly to pay.

Demand appears to be spreading beyond specialist technical teams. Some 77% of respondents expect the ability to use AI effectively to become a baseline requirement across most non-technical roles within the next two years, while 82% say their organisations are investing in upskilling or reskilling staff to meet that change.

Pay pressure

The research suggests employers are attaching a financial premium to some of the hardest-to-find skills. AI safety, ethics and governance emerged as the area attracting the strongest pay uplift, with 43% saying they would pay at least 10% more for that expertise.

Other AI-related skills also carried a premium. The study found that 39% would pay more for people who can evaluate and improve AI outputs, while 37% would pay more for automation and technical integration experience. Just 3% would not offer a premium for any AI-related skills.

Employers are also using non-pay measures to attract AI-skilled workers. Clearer performance metrics were cited by 30% of respondents, opportunities to lead or join AI initiatives by 29%, and defined career pathways linked to AI capability by 28%.

Hiring strain

Even as employers increase rewards, recruitment remains difficult. The hardest skillset to recruit for was AI safety, ethics and governance, cited by 41% of respondents, followed by automation and technical integration at 38%, and workflow evaluation and redesign at 36%.

That scarcity is prompting a more deliberate hiring approach. Four in five respondents said they have a defined strategy for sourcing candidates with strong AI skills, including talent communities, applicant tracking system tagging and referral campaigns.

Many organisations are also trying to build skills internally rather than relying only on the external market. While 82% are investing in upskilling or reskilling, the methods vary. Around a third offer funded learning, protected practice time or prompt and workflow libraries, while 99% say peer coaching is important.

The figures suggest much of the practical burden of AI skills development sits with managers and teams. That could leave uneven standards between organisations and departments as businesses try to fold AI use into day-to-day work.

Management challenge

The survey also found that companies are beginning to track whether those skills improve results. The most commonly measured outcomes were quality and accuracy, cited by 32%, followed by compliance and risk reduction at 29%, with time saved and cost savings both at 25%.

Ken Matos, director of insights at HiBob, said: “AI skills are no longer a future requirement. They’re already shaping who gets promoted, how performance is measured and, increasingly, how much people are paid. Employees are now expected to use AI with judgment, accountability and consistency, reflecting a broader shift where AI is not just a technology change but a cultural one that demands new skills and discipline.

“The challenge for organisations is turning that expectation into something practical. That means defining what strong AI capability looks like, embedding it into roles and performance, and giving managers the confidence to assess and develop it.

“Managers are increasingly expected to lead this shift, but many organisations have yet to invest in the structure, training and support needed to help them do so effectively. The next phase of AI adoption will depend on how well businesses equip their managers to turn AI from a tool into a consistent way of working.”

The results add to evidence that AI literacy is moving into the mainstream of workforce planning. For employers, that means AI is no longer only a recruitment issue for specialist teams, but part of how organisations judge readiness for progression, assess performance and set pay.

For workers, the findings indicate that familiarity with AI tools, oversight and responsible use is becoming more closely tied to career prospects. The strongest demand is not only for technical implementation, but also for the ability to govern AI use safely and assess the quality of its output.

Holmesterne Farm Co. Limited has been in business for almost 40 years and supplies both meat and vegetables to retailers and manufacturers.

Rising costs and unstable finances are thought to be the reasons behind the decision, reports The Sun.

In North Yorkshire, Holmesterne Farm Co. Limited, also known as Holmesterne Foods, operated two manufacturing plants, according to the newspaper.

What happens when a company goes into administration?

It said the company is winding down operations with most of the 130-strong workforce taking redundancy.

Some staff will stay to help administrators in the process.

On its website, visitors are met with a message confirming the administration, which reads: “James Clark and Howard Smith of Interpath Ltd (the ‘Joint Administrators’) were appointed as joint administrators of Holmesterne Farm Co. Limited (the ‘Company’) on 11 May 2026 in the High Court of Justice, Business and Property Courts in Leeds”.

UK High Street shops that no longer exist

James Clark, managing director at Interpath and joint administrator, told The Sun: “It is a real shame to see Holmesterne enter administration, particularly after the sale of the business last year and the renewed optimism that followed.

“Our immediate priority is to support employees through this difficult period, and we will be doing all we can to assist them in the days and weeks ahead.”

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Businesses that have entered administration in 2026

2026 has seen several retailers entering administration and others announcing widespread store closures.

Major high street retailers, including River Island, Primark, and Poundland, have been forced to close stores, while Revolution and BrewDog have shut the doors to some of their bars and pubs.

Russell & Bromley, Moores, Claire’s, The Original Factory Shop, Quiz, Denby, National Car Parks (NCP) and airline Royal Air Philippines have also fallen into administration recently.