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Top story
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Businesses should embrace Big Society, says Dunstone
Charles Dunstone, the entrepreneur behind telecoms retailer Carphone Warehouse, has thrown his weight behind the government’s Big Society agenda. Speaking to Insider ahead of the Prince’s Trust North West Leadership Group lunch at the Hilton in Liverpool, he said business leaders had a “responsibility” to help others.
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Deals
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IS Pharma raises £12.5m
Chester-headquartered pharmaceutical company IS Pharma is on the hunt for acquisitions after raising £12.5m through a share placing. The company placed 15.6 million new ordinary shares at 80p each.
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Domino’s stack up for AKS
Wirral-based AKS Partners, which owns and operates a network of Domino’s Pizza stores in Merseyside and Cheshire, has opened a new store in Chester after securing funding from NatWest.
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Business
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Insider launches Back the Bid rail campaign
Insider is throwing its weight behind a £530m plan to revolutionise trans-Pennine rail with high-speed, non-stop services connecting cities across the north. Rail operator Network Rail has spent four years exploring what improvements can be made and now, with its Northern Hub proposals finalised, Insider has launched a campaign urging the government to back the rail bid.
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First-half fee income hits £36m at DWF
Law firm DWF has posted a 12 per cent rise in fee income to £36m for the six months to the end of October. Managing partner Andrew Leaitherland said the results demonstrate the firm’s investments in corporate and finance are starting to pay off.
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Green takes BioEDEN role
Biotech company BioEDEN, which is based at Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus, has appointed Lorna Green as its new chief executive. The company harvests stem cells from teeth and is seeking further funding to expand into new markets.
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Christmas spending set to rise, says Deloitte
Deloitte has predicted the value of retail spending in the UK will increase by 1 per cent year-on-year this Christmas, taking the value of retail sales in December to more than £37bn. However, the firm has warned the industry is unlikely to see any growth at all in 2011, with the possibility of falling sales values a real risk.
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Property
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Profits up as BDP looks to China for growth
Architects’ firm BDP has reported increased pre-tax profit, despite a fall in turnover. Gavin Elliott, chairman of the Manchester studio, told Insider the economic environment continues to be challenging, but plans are in place to further extend the firm's geographical footprint in a bid to identify new opportunities. The practice is registered at Manchester’s Piccadilly Basin and has a studio within Liverpool One, a scheme it masterplanned.
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GL Hearn markets Wigan office scheme
Property consultancy GL Hearn has been instructed by Telereal Trillium to dispose of one of the largest office schemes in Wigan.
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Community
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Tague on Tour: Talking shop with the shops
"They came, they saw, they grabbed a load of freebies." Neil Tague gives his thoughts on the British Council for Shopping Centres’ conference in Manchester.
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In Focus: Show me the money
The government is targeting a private sector-led recovery, but where will small businesses get the capital to kickstart growth? Michael Taylor investigates.
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