Virgin Media is axing 2,200 UK jobs by 2012 under a sweeping restructure, which could hit posts in Nottingham. The company, which employs 600 people at its Daleside Road offices, has said it will not start cutting jobs until the fourth quarter of next year, with the majority of cuts taking place before the end of 2010. Neil Berkett, chief executive, said: “We recognise this brings uncertainty for our people and the communities where they work. Throughout the process we will be communicating as early and openly as we can.” The news comes after years of smaller-scale redundancies at the Nottingham site. One worker at the Daleside Road office told Insider: “I’ve never worked anywhere with such low staff morale.”

Restaurant entrepreneur Arfan Razak of Nottingham’s Curry Lounge is to roll out his brand in a franchise venture. The roll-out will kick off with a restaurant at 22a Station Parade in Willesden Green, London, before Christmas. Venues in Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham are being considered for next year. An opening in the Ocean Point area of Los Angeles is also under way, with a view to launching in autumn 2009, as well as a hotel site in Dubai. Razak, whose Nottingham restaurant  appeared on celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares TV show last year, will be investing £70,000 into the initial set-up and operation of the franchise business, and is in search of a franchise agent to locate possible venues.