| - |
|
Top story
|
Paver Smith has China in its hands
Liverpool PR agency Paver Smith has followed last week’s acquisition of Manchester firm Stripe Communications with the securing of a six-figure contract to provide PR support for Liverpool’s presence at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. Paver Smith won a four-way pitch to land the brief, which is being led by Jon Brown. He told Insider this morning: “I worked on the launch of the Expo bid last year and so we have a great understanding of the event. We have committed senior people to this and have recruited a Chinese partner. Most of all, we’re aware of how important it is to get private sector partners involved quickly.”
|
|
|
Deals
|
Hill Dicks goes to Iceland
North West law firm Hill Dickinson has advised Iceland Foods on the exchange of contracts to purchase 51 Woolworths stores. Michael Stephens, partner at Hill Dickinson, said: “This deal is highly significant in the current economic climate. Iceland Foods is working to an ambitious expansion strategy and this acquisition will help it achieve its business objective and increase its market share." Hill Dickinson worked on the acquisitions in England and Wales, while Elliott Duffy Garrett advised in Belfast and Anderson Strathern in Glasgow. 
In Focus
Research by Icon Corporate Finance has concluded with an upbeat note for deals activity in the technology sector. Insider editor Michael Taylor's online column In Focus this week looks into the trends that fuel such optimism. He says: “Sterling has been very weak against most major currencies and was down 27 per cent against the dollar in 2008. Overseas buyers thus can buy UK assets on the cheap. The technology sector got its recession and downturn out of the way 6 years ago and is now in pretty good shape: there’s very little leverage (apart from the private equity owned ones). Most tech businesses are now cashflow positive and profitable.”
|
|
Business
|
Hotel operator signs in Liverpool
Hotel operator Millennium & Copthorne Hotels has completed a deal to open two hotels in Merepark and Ballymore’s Central Village development in Liverpool. The three-star Copthorne Hotel Liverpool will face onto Newington Square and the Boardwalk public spaces, while the Watson Building, fronting Renshaw Street, will house the four-star Millennium Hotel Liverpool. Both hotels have been designed by international architect Woods Bagot.
Barwick lands plum professor role
Brian Barwick, the former chief executive of the Football Association (FA), has been appointed Visiting Professor at Liverpool University’s management school. Barwick, who graduated from the university with an economics degree in 1975, will work part-time, leading seminars in strategic management and help supervise student projects as part of Liverpool’s MBA Football Industries programme. Barwick’s pre-FA career included spells as head of sport at the BBC and controller of sport at ITV.
Professionals' confidence hit as work dries up
Income and profitability levels in the UK financial services sector fell at record rates as the recession deepens and the credit crunch continues to bite, a survey released today by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and the CBI said. In a clear sign that tightened credit markets are hitting the wider economy, the amount of business conducted with manufacturers, retailers and other commercial firms shrank at a record rate, while job losses mounted and investment plans were cut. Fifty nine per cent of respondents said business volumes fell in the three months to December, with only 17 per cent reporting a rise in activity. A quarter of respondents expect volumes to fall further over the next three months.
Cammell Laird completes MoD contract
Resurgent Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird has completed an £18m contract for the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The refit of the RFA Fort George, the largest ship in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, took six months to complete and required 250 staff to work on the project. The shipyard, which was last week visited by defence secretary John Hutton, is now set to embark on a new MOD contract worth £180m over the next five years to maintain the Fort George and ten other ships in the RFA fleet.
|
|
Property
|
Boost for Widnes as Stobart gets busy
Freight group Stobart has awarded Pochin Construction a £22m contract to build a 350,000 sq ft chilled distribution store and a 134,000 sq ft recycling services centre in Widnes. The Mathieson Road site is currently being remediated by Stobart, with the project scheduled for completion in July 2010. Jonathan Pochin, managing director of Pochin Construction, said: “This will be the first contract we have undertaken for Stobart and to win a contract of this scale in the current climate is a fantastic coup for us.”
Anfield architect submits Leicester plans
AFL, the Liverpool architect that drew up the initial plans for the proposed New Anfield stadium, has submitted its plans for the new Leicester Tigers rugby stadium. AFL is working with fellow North West architect Frank Whittle Partnership, which is acting as overall project and cost manager. Sports projects completed by AFL include training ground facilities for Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea.
ASL completes Runcorn refurb
Liverpool architect Austin Smith Lord has completed its £3m refurbishment of for Runcorn Town Hall. Changes include the replacement of a single storey link between the original Victorian villa, which includes the chamber and committee rooms, to the neighbouring 1960s office block with a double height glass box, which now forms the main entrance. The offices have been re-clad while photovoltaic cells have been fitted to the roof of the building to enable it to generate its own electricity.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
- |
