Nottingham-based Fraser Brown Solicitors has helped a local pharmacist to purchase the share capital of a rural pharmacy in Leicestershire, ensuring the service remains open and accessible to villagers. Roger Kirkbride worked for Boots and then as a consultant helping pharmaceutical chains to develop new services, before he recognised the potential of Wymeswold pharmacy. The pharmacy is considered to be an essential service for the area and as such is covered by an essential small pharmacy local pharmaceutical services contract. Robin Wright, partner in corporate and commercial law at Fraser Brown, advised on the purchase. For Insider comment, click here.

Following on from the overwhelming success of last year’s East Midlands Dealmakers Dinner, which was a sell-out, this year is proving equally popular with only a few tables remaining. If you would like to attend next Thursday’s event, we would strongly urge you to complete and return the table booking form ASAP, which you can access by emailing Amanda Steele. The evening will commence with a drinks reception at 7pm, to be seated for dinner at 7:30pm. After dinner we will be hearing from our invited guest speaker Andy Raynor, chief executive of RSM Tenon, the seventh-largest accountancy firm in the UK following its merger with RSM Bentley Jennison. Chris Barrie, star of The Brittas Empire and Red Dwarf, is compére for the evening.

Accountancy firm BDO suggests the number of transactions is set to increase rapidly by the end of the year. It says a prolonged period of pricing stability, increased lending and the return of many buyers to the market should see an upturn in activity. The prediction is based on the findings of its latest private company price index (PCPI) and private equity price index (PEPI). Birmingham-based corporate finance partner Roger Buckley said: “Whilst there has been a general concern from business owners that the time was wrong to sell, that mood is changing as buyers have returned to the market and sale prices have improved in quarter one.”

Electrum Holdings, AC2000 and EINW, the Leicester-based air-conditioning and electrical contractors, have been placed into administration. Beverley Marsh and David Thornhill, client partners at Vantis Business Recovery Services (BRS), have been appointed as joint administrators. With a combined annual turnover of £13.8m, the three companies employ a 98-strong workforce. Marsh said: “The economic recession coupled with the unsustainability of the companies’ servicing of its group pension liability scheme has resulted in the companies being placed into administration. We are working closely with the management team to assess the opportunities to rescue various parts of the businesses.”

Midlands Co-operative has announced trading profits up 16 per cent to £18.9m for the year ending 23 January. Highlights of the year include sales of £918m, an increase of 8 per cent. In the last year more than £40m has been invested in the society’s businesses. In retail, four former Somerfield stores were acquired in Stafford, Stone, Rugeley and Cotteridge, in addition to a new store in Fradley, Staffordshire. Chief executive Martyn Cheatle said: “We intend to continue the society’s established business strategy of consistent investment in core businesses, funded by strong operational cash flow, without significant borrowings.”

Solihull IT firm Dynistics has aided Darlington College’s green strategy by installing its active dashboard software. The software will allow the college to use 75,000 fewer sheets of copier paper in 2010-2011. The software, which has been installed to help the college better analyse and measure student admissions targets, provides a highly visual graphical representation of data allowing it to identify trends and improve performance in any given area of the college.

An established family-run business has capped a successful year by moving premises and launching a new showroom in the heart of Halesowen. Hawthorn Windows and Conservatories has posted annual sales totalling more than £500,000 and created eight jobs in the process. The growth has paved the way for the firm to build its own showroom on Shenstone Trading Estate. Hawthorn is expecting the new showroom to help it increase trade even further, with turnover set to reach £750,000 by end of 2010.

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Warwickshire County Cricket Club has announced that the main contract for constructing the new stand at its Edgbaston ground in Birmingham has gone to Leicestershire’s Galliford Try. Construction of the £30m+ redevelopment is already under way on site. Both Birmingham City Council and regional development agency Advantage West Midlands have provided funding towards the project. Phil Macdonald, project director at Edgbaston, said: “This project is a great example of partnership working between organisations wanting to deliver a brighter future for the area.”

East Midlands commercial property agent Innes England has completed the letting of offices at a former print works at 26 Handel Street in Nottingham to mental health charity Rethink. Rethink was founded more than 30 years ago, providing support and delivering services including housing, advocacy and tenancy support. Mark Tomlinson of Innes England acted on behalf of their client DES Electrical in the deal and the activity follows the sale of the building in 2008, which was also handled by the agent.

Sir Nigel Rudd is to step down as chairman of East Midlands-based car retailing group Pendragon – a position he has held since the company floated 20 years ago. Rudd is one the region’s best-known businessman. He founded Williams Holdings, a company which went on to become one of the largest industrial holding companies in the country. Speaking about his departure from Pendragon, Rudd said: “I have been considering my retirement from the board for some time, but the financial turmoil and difficult trading conditions of the last two years had deemed it inappropriate to leave the company.”