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Administrators at PricewaterhouseCoopers have so far received 50 expressions of interest in acquiring the business and assets of Liverpool brewery and pub operator Cains after the company went into administration last week. Interested parties range from individuals through to big-name brewers and pub chains. At the end of July the AIM-quoted Cains Beer Company revealed a pre-tax loss for the six months to April of £4.5m and a disputed tax bill. 
Pub deals offer hope Despite predictions that pub closures are set to accelerate, with estimates suggesting that as many as 6,000 could close in the next five years, two North West pubs have been acquired in separate deals. Lancashire entrepreneur Kevin Berkins, owner of Burnley's Fence Gate Inn, has completed a deal to acquire Mondo's restaurant at Barrow, which he will rename The Eagle at Barrow. Paul Rogers, owner of The Railway at Euxton, has also taken over The Hinds Head in Wrightington, near Wigan, which he plans to turn into a gastro pub.
Following a survey of 500 regional business customers, United Utilities has prioritised an improvement to the sewer systems as part of the water supplier's upgrade plans announced today in its submission to regulator Ofwat. The Warrington-headquartered company said its capital investment for the period 2010 to 2015 would be £4bn, of which £1.6bn would be for water services, while £2.4bn would be for waste services. Domestic bills are likely to rise by 2.7 per cent over that period. Clive Elphick, managing diector of assets at United Utilities, told Insider: “500 businesses were consulted on the discretionary investment we could make. Businesses told us they were more likely to pay for an upgraded waste water service.”
Individual Restaurant Company set to expand Individual Restaurant Company, which runs restaurant brands Piccolino and The Restaurant Bar and Grill, has agreed a £18.5m revolving credit facility with Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets to fund its expansion plans. The company will open seven new restaurants across the UK this year, including one in Clitheroe. Others will be based in Birmingham, York, Aberdeen, Bristol, Hale and Harrogate. Last week the business announced "resilient" trading in line with expectations for the six months to 29 June. Sales were up 21 per cent against the same period last year.
Finalists announced for IoD awards The Institute of Directors North West, has announced its finalists for the Director of the Year Awards 2008. The awards are divided into subregions - each with a Young Director category - and potential winners include David Pollock of Chess Telecom, Charles Jackson of Recycling.co.uk, Brendan Flood of Modus and iTeddy founder Imran Hakim. This year's winners will be announced on 18 September at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Marlin Group goes digital The Marlin Group, a Manchester-based creative agency, has announced plans to launch a new digital publishing service in partnership with Australian business Digital DM. The business has agreed a deal to become the UK reseller of Digital Editions, technology that enables clients to have digital versions of printed publications both online and offline. Managing director Keith Jones said the technology will allow companies to make "major savings" as the technology can reduce print runs, mailing costs and the need for archiving.
More gloom for the region's businesses North West businesses should brace themselves for more gloom according to the CBI, after the organisation admitted the economy is deteriorating at a faster rate than it had predicted. In a letter to members, the CBI's director general Richard Lambert said that the "mood has darkened in the last two or three months" and warned that growth prospects for next year and 2010 "look no better than anaemic". The u-turn on its economic outlook came as it said the credit crunch had turned out to be bigger and more prolonged than first feared, while inflation has also soared higher than predicted. The Bank of England is expected to announce that inflation, currently at 3.8 per cent, has hit 4 per cent in July and that Britain is teetering on the brink of recession when it publishes its quarterly inflation report on Wednesday.
but the economy remains resilient The North West was the UK's most resilient regional economy in July, according to the latest PMI Business Survey Data, produced for The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) by Markit Economics. The findings suggest that the region experienced an expansion of private sector output in July as the seasonally adjusted Business Activity Index recorded 51.5, up from 47.6 in the previous month. But RBS economist Philip McKinnon said forward-looking indicators give little cause for celebration. "New orders were static and backlogs declined markedly, contributing to further falls in employment. Inflationary pressures also persisted, adding to the challenging business environment," he said.
Turnover at Lancashire property group Eric Wright increased to £152.2m in 2007, say the company's results, released today. The group's construction division increased profit from £800,000 to £1.8m on a turnover of £125.5m thanks largely to NHS LIFT work - it has completed two primary care centres for East Lancashire LIFT and started three further schemes for another trust. The group's facilities management team doubled its profit, while civil engineering trebled its 2006 figure. Chief executive Jim Carter said: "Times are tough in construction but we remain optimistic with a healthy pipeline of regeneration and public sector contracts."
Preston - city slickers at last? Preston City Council has approved plans by Liverpool developer Amadeus to build a £20m mixed-use scheme comprising a 136-bedroom hotel and 74 apartments in Preston city centre. Planning committee representative Albert Richardson said of the glass-clad eight-storey project: "At last, we're getting city buildings that might turn us into a city sometime. We're just a very large industrial town. With buildings like this we might start living up to that four-letter word - city. We've got to start acting like a city."
Two million up for P3 P3, the specialist property agency set up in Manchester by ex-Dunlop Haywards men Peter Gallagher, Phil Meakin and Paul Daye, has marked its first six months of trading with the publication of an availability list that shows the firm handling over 2 million sq ft of commercial space. Gallagher said: "We all know it's a very challenging market and probably will be for some time - but this is when having a fully focused, truly specialist and highly experienced agency is going to make all the difference."
Piccadilly 3, University 1 on Chamber shortlist Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce has revealed the shortlist for its Greater Manchester Building of the Year 2008 award. ISIS Waterside Regeneration's Islington Wharf, the new headquarters of architecture firm BDP at Piccadilly Basin and Argent's Three Piccadilly Place make up a strong contingent from the eastern end of the city centre, while the University of Manchester's Alan Turing Building completes the list. The winner will be announced at a dinner at the Hilton Manchester on 14 October.
Insider editor Michael Taylor is hosting a Pro.Manchester lunch event on Friday at which guests will hear a full presentation about the city’s Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) plans and United City’s Chris Oglesby of Bruntwood will debate with Peel Holdings’ managing director Andrew Simpson about the pros and cons of the TIF bid and congestion charging. To book a place email admin@pro-manchester.ac.uk, stating any dietary requirements.
Dates for your diary this week On Tuesday evening accountancy firm Champion is hosting a seminar at The Circle Club, Manchester, entitled Surviving the Slowdown, an opportunity to get valuable advice from experts at Champion, law firm George Davis and insolvency specialists Leonard Curtis on how to keep a business robust in uncertain times. And, for a change of pace, Thursday evening brings Cupcakes & Bubbly, the launch of Manchester in Fashion 2008 at Urbis.
Creativity blooms A new Insider event – Creative people, creative places – is taking place at the Lowry, Salford Quays, on 24 September. At the event, sponsored by Business Link, guests will hear from keynote speaker Kevin Roberts, chief executive of Saatchi & Saatchi and author of Lovemarks: the future beyond brands. To register your interest in attending, please contact Helen Power on the Insider events team on 0161 907 9745 or helen.power@newsco.com.
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