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Top story
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Dragons' Den reject signs up with retailers
A Derbyshire entrepreneur who was turned down by investors on Dragons’ Den has told Insider that she is now “in talks with a major supermarket” to stock her Sqeasy product. Karen Moakes also revealed that she is in final discussions with high street retailer TJ Hughes to stock her gadget. The inventor, from Chaddesden, told Insider that the Sqeasy – which aids the emptying of food pouches – is being advanced into other forms, including a gadget to squeeze out the last of the toothpaste.
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Deals
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Phoenix IT signs for £90m credit facility
Northampton’s Phoenix IT has signed a new £90m, four-year revolving credit facility and has renewed its £10m overdraft for a further 12 months. The syndicate of lending banks includes Barclays, HSBC, The Royal Bank of Scotland and Yorkshire Bank.
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LDC exit “right move” for VSG
LDC has described its exit from the Northampton security company VSG as “an excellent outcome both for VSG’s employees and customers”. As revealed in Insider daily news yesterday, LDC has sold VSG to FTSE 100 listed Compass Group for £64m.
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Midlands office helps Yorkshire Bank top charts
The Midlands office of Clydesdale & Yorkshire Bank Corporate and Structured Finance has helped the bank reach number three in the UK in terms of the number of corporate refinancing deals it supports. According to Corpfin, a subsidiary of Nottingham-based Experian, the bank clinched the number four spot for the number of M&A deals.
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Property
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Evans Concrete living The Dream
The Dream, the 20-metre high landmark sculpture of a girl's head designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa and manufactured by Derbyshire-based Evans Concrete, has been chosen by VisitEngland to launch the national Place of Interest Quality Assurance Scheme (PIQAS) which picks out top attractions across the country.
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Three Valleys Housing selects partner organisation
Three Valleys Housing has selected East Midlands Housing Group as its preferred partner. The Derbyshire-based housing provider owns more than 5,000 properties across Erewash borough.
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National Construction Academy builds a future in Leicester
East Midlands commercial property agency Innes England and chartered surveyor storeys:ssp have secured a deal for the National Construction Academy to open a new facility in Leicester. The academy will provide training to support local employers and those looking for a career in the construction industry.
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Business
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NMC wins £4m contracts
The highways division of Nottinghamshire-based North Midland Construction has been awarded a range of new contracts which have a combined value of over £4m, three of which are in Lincolnshire.
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Derby College makes HL Plastics fantastic
Derby College has devised a bespoke programme for the training of new recruits at Denby manufacturing business HL Plastics. The college has already trained 45 of the company’s employees at NVQ2 level, and will now offer a tailor-made programme to the company at Denby Hall Business Park.
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Woollet expands Cardea team
A specialist recruitment company which was launched in the East Midlands six months ago is expanding. Cardea Resourcing, which specialises in social care recruitment, has appointed Tony Woollett to head its operations.
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Do you need help sourcing new clients?
Insider’s Midlands Top 500 Companies 2010 Database: Our accurate and comprehensive business marketing list. Request a free sample today, special offer until 24 December.
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The 6 September deadline for LEP submissions is looming large. But how prepared is the Midlands to meet this brave new era with confidence and surety? Is the overwhelming attitude optimism or fear? Sam Metcalf investigates.
