| - |
|
Top story
|
Defence secretary hails resurgent Cammell Laird
With the government out in force on Merseyside yesterday, defence secretary John Hutton toured the resurgent Cammell Laird shipyard. In June 2008 the shipyard signed a deal with the Ministry of Defence for the through-life support of 11 ships in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). The five-year rolling contract is estimated to run for 30 years and could be worth up to a £1bn. “The RFA cluster contract will help sustain hundreds of jobs on Merseyside,” Hutton said. “Cammell Laird has done an outstanding job on Fort Rosalie and we are looking forward to seeing her back in service because she is such a capable ship.”
|
|
|
Today's news
|
Satisfactory trading for Johnson Service Group
Johnson Service Group, the dry cleaner and workwear provider headquartered in Cheshire, has said trading remains “satisfactory” despite the tough conditions, albeit with various degrees of success in its divisions. The company’s dry-cleaning arm saw a 3.9 per cent like for like sales decline in the second half of the year, prompting a £4m cost-cutting regime. Results were also varied in the facilities management division, although progress was made in its workwear rental division. The group added that further cost-cutting measures are planned for 2009. 
Chamber completes move
St Helens Chamber has completed its move to new £6m premises near the town centre. The Chamber will fully occupy a three-storey, 29,000 sq ft centre, which will include a training and conference centre, café and 31 small business units known as the Enterprise Greenhouse, which are designed to support local start-ups and are available on flexible terms. The Enterprise Greenhouse is funded by the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative and the European Regional Development Fund.
Growth for Urchin
Independent children’s clothing retailer Urchin is pleased with the results of its move to Chester. Despite bad news from the high street it has reported that the downturn in the last week of December was just 2 per cent lower than during the same period last year. The shop, which has a flagship store in Llandudno, North Wales, opened its second store at Chester’s Grosvenor shopping centre in November. Owner Glenn Hughes said: “Despite the severe downturn elsewhere, we’ve been delighted with business performance so far.”
Rate cut won’t touch housing market
Yesterday’s cut in interest rates will have no effect on the North West housing market, according to the chairman of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) North West board Richard Kingsley. He said: “The decision to lower interest rates to just 1.5 per cent, while welcome, is unlikely to provide any meaningful encouragement for banks to increase the availability of finance to either households or businesses.” The gap between new buyer enquiries and the number of mortgage approvals is increasing, according to RICS and Kingsley added that lenders are set to become even more restrictive over the coming months in the face of the worsening economic climate.
|
|
Something for the weekend
|
Let there be light
Hotfoot it down to the Pier Head on Saturday night for The People’s Celebration from 6.15pm. This being Liverpool, the proceedings – designed to offer a transition between the 2008 culture extravaganza and 2009’s Year of the Environment – will involve sound, light and fireworks. Alternatively, hotfoot it over to the Austrian city of Linz, one of 2009’s Capital of Culture, which is holding its own light event on the same night.
Superlambanana news
At a loose end tomorrow? Well, the doors of Liverpool Town Hall will be thrown open to give visitors the chance to browse around this architectural gem. Those who’ve railed at public sector profligacy will be glad to hear of a £3.50 charge for a bowl of scouse with red cabbage and a cup of tea. And that’s not all. Visitors can take pictures of the Lord Mayor's Superlambanana - as long as they make a donation to the Lord Mayor’s Charity. Quite right too, we can’t have anyone taking advantage of a civic Superlambanana.
Where Liverpool leads…
There was a fair amount of sniggering up and down the country when Liverpool was made European Capital of Culture for 2008. We’d like to think those who mocked are four-square behind the idea proposed by culture secretary Andy Burnham for a quadrennial British Capital of Culture, proposed in the wake of Liverpool’s success. Although we still don’t see why it’s necessary for this to happen before the Brits or BAFTAs could leave London, just why are the luvvies still so scared of the wretched provinces?
Canapé won’t pay
Thought there were no canapés on offer in deepest, darkest January? Think again. Insider sent its hottest Scouse canapé scoffer down to Liverpool Town Hall on Tuesday night for law firm Halliwells’ Jump into January event. The offering involved what were described as “proper canapés”, which we understand to be small nibbly bits on top of biscuits and pastry, but later those ever-popular mini fish and chips were also seen to make an appearance. Just because the festive feasts are over it doesn’t mean we have to stop stuffing our faces!
|
|
|
Contact Us
Insider
8th Floor, Boulton House
17-21 Chorlton Street
Manchester
M1 3HY
Telephone: +44 (0)161 907 9711
Email:
nw@insiderdaily.co.uk
|
|
Subscribe
To subscribe to the eBulletin,
click here.
|
|
- |
