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Top story
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Auto industry faces the inevitable
As automotive giant Jaguar Land Rover announces plans to cut 450 jobs across its UK sites including Halewood, figures in the automotive industry are calling for the leaders of failing companies to be brought to account. Liverpool-born entrepreneur Mike Welch, who is managing director of internet tyre retailer BlackCircles.com, said: “A number of figures in the industry have expressed surprise at what’s been happening in recent months, but the truth is that this has been on the cards for some time. Over the past 20 years, manufacturers have failed to change their approach and prepare their businesses adequately for the inevitable problems that were on the horizon. Cases such as Jaguar Land Rover highlight the human cost of those failings, as a loyal team of workers have committed their futures and pensions to a business and been badly let down.”
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Business
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Mando wins ferries contract
Liverpool-based web development agency Mando Group has secured a three-year contract with Mersey Ferries as its strategic digital partner, set to build on its existing relationship with Merseytravel. The first project will be to develop a site for the Big Mersey Adventure, a brand the ferry operator is building for planned expansion into the visitor economy. The company will also redevelop the main Mersey Ferries website to allow online booking and more up-to-date timetable information. 
Forshaw opens in Manchester
Property restoration and claims management company Forshaw is to open a Greater Manchester office in Horwich, Bolton. Forshaw, headquartered at Brunswick Business Park, specialises in repairing properties damaged by fire or flood and has increased turnover from £1.5m in 2005 to £5m in 2007. It also has offices in Crewe and North Wales.
Ripple out to Yorkshire
Rippleffect, the Liverpool-based digital agency, has developed a new online information system for Travel South Yorkshire on behalf of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, through which customers can register for updates and changes to bus and tram timetables as they happen. Rippleffect was founded in November 1999 by managing director Ben Hatton and was acquired by Trinity Mirror in 2008 for £5.8m.
Retailers still missing online tricks
The half of the UK’s top 130 retailers not yet selling online missed out on more than £100m of sales over Christmas according to Liverpool consultancy Transaction Partnership. The company, formed a year ago by ex-Littlewoods executives Steve Goodheart and Richard Blanchard, claimed that a mid-sized retail chain would have expected to achieve £1m in sales from a transactional site during the festive period. Goodheart said: “Many of the retailers not trading online have sites that will attract more than 100,000 site visits a week. With footfall in the high street down, retailers need to take advantage of existing customer traffic.”
Skills funding available
Unionlearn, the TUC’s learning and skills organisation is offering trade unions and employers the opportunity to bid for money from a regional fund for workplace learning and skills projects. The North West’s Learning and Skills for All Fund 2009 is being launched this month at a series of roadshows, starting in Liverpool on Monday. The fund provides grants of up to £22,000 to help employees access skills training at all levels in all sectors.
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Property
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BDP appointed to produce Chester masterplan
Chester City Council has appointed the Liverpool office of BDP to produce a masterplan for the Chester Renaissance programme, a £1.5bn development that aims to place the city as a must-see European destination by 2015. The masterplan will provide a vision and framework for the regeneration of three areas of the city – the Cathedral and its surroundings; Chester Castle; and the historic area of retail and leisure in the city centre known as The Rows. BDP will now work in collaboration with a number of partners including Knight Frank, JMP, Redhouse Consultants and Oxford Archaeology North to produce the masterplan. The work is being part-funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency and English Heritage.
Down by the Riverside
Merseyside developer Riverside Park has announced the completion of Building 3 on the Riverside Park development at Wirral International Business Park in Bromborough. The developer has prioritised energy efficiency for the 30,000 sq ft building, which is divisible into up to eight suites.
Arley introduces mortgage protection
Warrington housebuilder Arley Homes has responded to the mortgage crisis by introducing a mortgage protection plan across its portfolio. The offer involves the developer covering the mortgage payments of new buyers for up to 12 months should buyers be made redundant. Alison Holton, marketing director, said: “The fear of losing your income is an important factor when it comes to thinking about moving. Buyers are telling us they want to move into an Arley home but fears about the economy are making that decision increasingly more difficult.”
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