Businesses in the North are more worried about cuts to public sector spending than the rest of the UK, according to a survey of more than 300 entrepreneurs carried out by accountancy firm RSM Tenon. Across the regions, 17 per cent of business owners questioned in the North and Yorkshire felt cuts to the public sector was the biggest threat to their business, topped only by Scotland at 19 per cent. Just 7 per cent in the South and 10 per cent in the Midlands thought it was their biggest concern.

Suttons Group, the Widnes-based supplier of logistics solutions, has appointed Ian Atkinson as group finance director. Atkinson joins the company from US chemical business SI Group, where he was European finance director, having previously been managing director for the UK operation. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and has also held senior finance roles at Zeneca, Jewson and Appleyard.

Phase two of Widnes Regeneration’s Heron Business Park has let its first units. The six occupiers, which have taken more than 12,000 sq ft, include electrical contractor AB Engineering, packaging specialists Locpac and industrial engineers J B Rewinds. Phase two of the park, which has 19 units totalling 74,287 sq ft, has been built following the popularity of Phase one, which is fully let. The joint venture between the developer St Modwen and Halton Borough Council cost £5.9m and has 125,000 sq ft of light-industrial space.