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Top story
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Energy costs fall alongside inflation
Liverpool businesses struggling through the chilly winter may be cheered by news that energy costs are continuing to fall. A tumble in the price of fuel contributed to a Consumer Price Index inflation rate of just 4.1 per cent in November. Paul Beck, head of the employment team at Liverpool-based law firm Quinn Barrow, said: “Any reduction in inflation and the costs of energy are to be broadly welcomed in this challenging economic climate. For businesses, especially those in smaller manufacturing industries, anything that reduces costs is welcome.” However, if prices continue to fall the outlook may not be so rosy. Neil Sturmey, managing partner at financial advisory firm Grant Thornton in Liverpool, warns: “Normally inflation falling is a good thing, which to a point it still is. However, it won’t be good if it falls a lot more. The overriding concern is still general economic confidence. The good thing is that Liverpool is better placed than it was in the 1990s to be able to deal with the challenges in 2009.”
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Deals
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MBO for life jacket manufacturer
Bootle-based life jacket manufacturer International Safety Products (ISP) has been bought by its management team in a deal worth up to £4m. Managing director John Rogers and sales director Geoff Billington, who were advised by PKF, are now joint owners of the company, founded in 1981. Funding included £1.1m from Alliance Fund Managers through the £40m Merseyside Special Investment Fund. All 95 staff based at ISP’s headquarters in Hawthorne Road, Bootle, and its additional factory premises in Birkenhead will be retained under the new ownership.
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Business
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Act now to save green energy sector
A Wirral company has warned that the government needs to ramp up its support for the green energy sector during the recession or risk seeing its climate change targets derailed. Mark McManus, managing director of Stiebel Eltron, said urgent measures are now required if the UK is to hit targets of 20 per cent of UK energy coming from renewable sources by 2020. Stiebel manufactures ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps and solar panels. He added: “Heating is responsible for almost half of UK energy use and carbon emissions. Therefore, renewable energy heating products are at the frontline of the green energy revolution. The UK government needs to invest more support in the sector." 
Management shake-up at Moneysupermarket
Ewloe-based price comparison website Moneysupermarket.com has announced that founder and chief executive Simon Nixon is to move to the role of executive deputy chairman as part of a management shake-up in the New Year. Peter Plumb, who joined the business in November, will succeed Nixon as chief executive. David Osborne, regional general manager UK at EasyJet, will join as marketing director. Both Osborne and Graham Donoghue, managing director of the group’s Travelsupermarket.com division, will join the board as executive directors.
Banking lifeline for businesses
Small businesses in the region could benefit from the Business Lifeline, being launched by NatWest and The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). The telephone helpline, which is to be manned by a team of specialist bankers, will offer guidance to the banks’ small business customers. It will work in conjunction with NatWest and RBS regional managers to ensure advice is offered with knowledge of local businesses.
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Property
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Merseytravel close to Mann Island deal
Transport body Merseytravel is close to completing the deal to move into the office building at Neptune and Countryside Properties’ Mann Island. The building has long been regarded as the hot favourite to beat competition headed by English Cities Fund’s St Paul’s Square to land the Merseytravel requirement. Merseytravel will consolidate operations from several sites into 100,000 sq ft at the waterfront scheme.
Watkin Jones on site
Watkin Jones has started construction work on an £28m student accommodation development in Liverpool after securing funding from The Royal Bank of Scotland. The 1.2-acre development is on Erskine Street, close to the centre of Liverpool’s student community, and will feature 592 bed spaces for students and key workers in five blocks. The project is scheduled to be complete in time for the September 2009 term.
Tesco signs up with Downing
Property group Downing has completed the deal to bring a 4,000 sq ft Tesco Express store to The Capital, Liverpool’s largest office building. The store will front Old Hall Street. Downing has also unveiled the new-look 80-seat café, which will become the focal point of the building’s atrium, and is in advanced talks with an operator for the facility. Robin Ellis, senior agency surveyor at Downing, said: “Attracting a retailer of Tesco’s pedigree is another milestone in the transformation of The Capital.
Smith & Sons on board as Riverside tenants expand
Merseyside property agency Smith & Sons has been appointed on the Riverside Park development at Wirral International Business Park in Bromborough. Smith & Sons will act as joint agents on the scheme with Mason Owen. Adviser Plus Business Solutions and Wirral Primary Care Trust, already tenants at the park, have increased their space: Adviser Plus by 4,000 sq ft to assist the growth of its business and Wirral PCT by 4,300 sq ft for a GP out-of-hours service call centre.
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