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Top story
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Sales down as JJB struggles on
Troubled retailer JJB Sports has reached a temporary agreement with its lenders as the Wigan-based group reports further falls in its sales figures. Barclays, HBOS and Kaupthing have agreed that a £20m bridging facility from Kaupthing need not be repaid in full on 14 December, but pro rata across the three banks today instead. In an interim management statement this morning, the company reported that like-for-like sales were down 7.5 per cent for 28 July to 7 December over the same period last year. This involved a 6.7 per cent increase in revenue for health clubs and an 8.9 per cent decrease in retail sales. JJB started its sale two weeks early and is pleased with the increased sales achieved. Discussions over potential sales of the Fitness Clubs and non-core assets continue.
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Deals
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Sale secured for Palgrave Brown site
Scottish timber supplier James Donaldson & Sons has bought the assets of Chorley-based Palgrave Brown, manufacturer of timber engineered products, which went into administration last month. It has acquired all the land and buildings, plant and machinery and stock from the site at Chorley from administrators at BDO Stoy Hayward and the site will trade as Alfred Hulme, the original name of the company when it started on the current site in 1919. Neil Donaldson, chairman of James Donaldson, said: “The site was rightly being sold as a going concern as it has good facilities, a skilled workforce and geographically is well positioned to help us grow strongly once the economic conditions improve.”
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Business
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Salmon leaps to BBC North helm
Peter Salmon has been appointed as the first director of BBC North, overseeing the corporation’s new base at Salford Quays, which will be home to some 2,500 TV, radio and online staff. Salmon, currently the creative director of the corporation's broadcasting and production division BBC Vision, will take up the new role in mid-2009 and join the BBC’s executive board in 2010 when the centre at MediaCity nears completion. He is the former BBC1 controller and director of BBC Sport and will have responsibility for BBC Sport, BBC Children’s and radio networks BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra when the departments relocate from London to Salford over the next three years.
Growth for James Halstead
Manchester-based commercial flooring company James Halstead has reported increases in sales compared with this time last year. Speaking at the company’s AGM today, chairman Geoffrey Halstead said sales growth in the UK and export markets remained robust with the latter helped by the weakness of sterling, which had increased margins. Five months into the trading year, he added: “I can only be satisfied with progress and I fully expect to announce an increased dividend at the interim stage, setting yet another record.”
One true voice for the north?
The proposal from research institute Centre for Cities that the three northern regional development agencies should merge has received mixed reactions from professionals in the region. Tiffany Cloynes, partner at law firm Cobbetts, said: “It may be more cost-effective and could improve cohesion across the regions. It might be of most benefit on transport.” Centre for Cities’ suggestion is that a new agency could offer a stronger brand and a more strategic approach, but Charles Goodall, associate director for regeneration at CB Richard Ellis, thinks the point has been missed. “The best way to narrow the so-called north-south divide would be for the government to lead by example and encourage more organisations to relocate to our regional centres,” he said. “So far it has not achieved this with its own departments let alone businesses elsewhere, which does little to help the overall cause.”
Matalan appoints digital agency
Clothing retailer Matalan has appointed Manchester-based digital agency Code Computerlove to handle its online marketing strategy. Code won the contract after a four-way pitch and plans to launch a pilot e-commerce project for the retailer next week. The new account win follows a successful few months for Code, which has been appointed to work with Butlins and MediaCity.
RWE nPower joins Peel carbon team
Energy company RWE nPower has taken a 75 per cent stake in Peel Energy CCS, which was a joint venture by Peel Energy and Danish company Dong Energy. The restructuring of the joint venture means the team has successfully pre-qualified for the government’s carbon capture and storage demonstration competition. If successful in the competition, the project would comprise a capture facility of up to 400 megawatts that would form part of a cleaner coal-fired power station.
New service from AWOL
Cumbrian recruitment agency AWOL Recruitment is opening a new service for permanent vacancies in administration and retail, under new member of staff Maria Appleton. Based in Grange Over Sands, the company sources emergency, temporary and permanent chefs for hotels and restaurants, care homes and kitchens across Cumbria and North Lancashire.
Chubby Chandler calls on JMW
Manchester law firm JMW has been appointed by Cheshire-based sports management company International Sports Management (ISM) as one of its providers of legal services in areas such as intellectual property, brand protection and commercial constracts. ISM, run by Andrew “Chubby” Chandler, is famous for managing the mainstay of the England cricket team and advising cricket superstars such as Andrew Flintoff and Michael Vaughan. It also manages more than 30 professional golfers worldwide.
Speaking their language
The Translation People, based in Didsbury, has won contracts to provide multiple language translations for global printing giant Brother and international clothing retailer New Look. For Brother the work involved translating more than 70 pages of internal communication materials into 13 different languages. New Look required its annual communications day DVD to be translated into French and Flemish.
How green is your packaging?
North West businesses that want to find out how to save money on packaging are being urged to sign up to a free online seminar. Government-supported environmental consultancy Envirowise is running an online seminar on 25 February 2009. It is aimed at product and packaging designers to help them deal with rising material costs and increasing pressure to improve their environmental credentials.
Shop for the region, says PSP
Regional business group Private Sector Partners (PSP) says the North West’s high streets and businesses need the support of shoppers and local authorities this Christmas. The group, which represents 100,000 North West companies, has made a plea to shoppers to support their members by buying local and British products during the festive season. PSP leader Len Collinson also urged local councils to do their bit by suspending car parking charges and promoting town centres.
Pnu Power wins US contract
Capenhurst-based Pnu Power, a subsidiary of the AIM-listed Energetix Group, has won a contract worth around £250,000 to supply its compressed air energy systems to P&E Automation, based in San Diego, California. It’s the first major contract win for the business following a successful trial period. The systems will be installed at a leading aerospace and defence company’s manufacturing facility in Utah, starting in the second quarter of 2009.
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Property
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North West to benefit from housing fund
Six areas in the North West are to share £31m to push forward plans to increase housebuilding in the region. The money is being made available through the government’s £605m Growth Fund, managed by the newly-established Homes and Communities Agency. Under the scheme, Greater Manchester will receive more than £12.2m, Liverpool and Wirral more than £6.3m and Central Lancashire and Blackpool more than £5.2m. A further £4m has been awarded to Halton, St Helens and Warrington, and £3.4m to local authorities in west Cheshire. Housing minister Margaret Beckett said there was a long-term need to build more homes and this shouldn’t be hampered by the economic downturn.
Old Trafford win for CBRE
Property consultancy CB Richard Ellis has secured planning permission for Worldtitle (Cornbrook) at a mixed-use scheme in Northumberland Road, Old Trafford. The scheme will include 193 residential units – 108 of them sold off-plan – 20,000 sq ft of office space and 12,000 sq ft of leisure space, car parking and landscaping. The development vehicle is a joint venture between local outfit JCS Holdings and Wealth Capital Developments, based in Hong Kong. It is the latter’s first foray into UK property.
West Lakes looks to North East
Regeneration body West Lakes Renaissance (WLR) and the Arts Council England North West have appointed Gateshead art consultancy Grit and Pearl to lead Regeneration by Design, an initiative to ensure design is at the forefront of WLR’s programme of projects. These include Marina Village in Barrow and public realm improvements to Whitehaven, Workington and Maryport town centres.
New director at Russell Construction
Trafford Park-based construction company Russell Construction has appointed a new director to its board. Phil Jay, who joined two years ago as senior project manager, becomes project director. Jay has more than 30 years’ experience in the building industry and has worked for Taylor Woodrow, Berkeley Commercial Developments and Alfred McAlpine.
Beswick education academy gets green light
Planning permission has been granted for a new £31.5m education academy in Beswick, east Manchester, designed to raise aspirations and provide more opportunities for young people in the area. The East Manchester Academy will be a centre of excellence for everything relating to the built environment, including planning, development design and the supply of services such as transport, energy and IT. Work is set to start in January and is expected to be completed by September 2010. Bovis Lend Lease and Laing O’Rourke are behind the project, along with co-sponsors Manchester City Council and The Manchester College.
Work completed on Crewe hotel
Work has been completed on the £10m Ramada Encore hotel at Crewe Business Park, which offers 112 beds, seven conference and meeting rooms, and leisure facilities. It’s the second of ten new Ramada Encore hotels to be completed in the UK as owner New World Leisure looks to roll out the brand.
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